Agriculture
Agriculture is the most important industry in Iowa, and is an important part of the state's identity and culture. The state is the world's largest producer of corn, and the largest producer of soybeans in the United States. Around 92,600 farms cultivate 30,800,000 acres (12,464,317 hectares) of land, producing 2,430,000,000 bushels of corn and 439,000,000 bushels of soybeans annually. The raising of hogs and cattle is also an important aspect of the state's agricultural economy. About 19,000,000 hogs and 3,950,000 cattle are brought to market each year. The reason for Iowa's agricultural importance is due to its rich soil and climate. No other area of comparable size on earth can compare to Iowa in agricultural wealth or output. The state has about 11,000 varieties of soil which are the most productive in the entire world for raising crops. Therefore, most of the state has been converted...
