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U.S. Department of Energy Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

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Find maps and charts showing transportation data and trends related to alternative fuels and vehicles.

U.S. Total Corn Production and Corn Used for Fuel Ethanol Production

1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Production 7.1313 4.928680999999999 7.531953000000001 7.9340280000000005 7.4747650000000005 9.476698 6.33773 10.05052 7.400051 9.232557 9.206832 9.758685 9.430612 9.915051 9.50258 8.966787 10.089222 11.807086 11.114082 10.534868000000001 13.074 12.091 13.091 12.446 12.358
Used for Ethanol 0.279146 0.287445 0.321446 0.349068 0.398264 0.42551 0.458259 0.532793 0.39568000000000003 0.428721 0.481113 0.5257999999999999 0.565763 0.627593 0.7059460000000001 0.9955040000000001 1.167548 1.32307 1.6027799999999999 2.117085 3.2 3.708 4.568 4.95 5
Source: USDA's National Agriculture Statistics Service database query
This chart shows total U.S. corn production and corn used to produce fuel ethanol from 1987 to 2011. Although corn production fluctuates from year to year, the overall trend has been one of increasing production. The amount of corn used for ethanol production increased substantially during the last decade, owing primarily to federal laws and incentives that aim to increase energy security and reduce vehicle emissions. The amount of corn not used for ethanol is about the same now as it was in the late 1980s and early 1990s.