Most of the increase in U.S. corn output went for domestic
ethanol production. Similarly, domestic factors drove change in
China as well. A large portion of China’s increased corn
production was used for food and feed.  In the case of the U.S,.
it is doubtful the increased use of grain for ethanol prevented
the filling of a large number of export orders. Rather the
higher corn prices provided encouragement for other countries to
increase corn production and thereby increase export competition
for the U.S.  There was a time when the U.S. had the corn export
market locked up, with everyone else playing a minor role. Over
the last decade or so, U.S. farmers and commodity traders have
had to pay more attention to South American corn production,
particularly Brazil and Argentina. Today that view has to
include countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa as well.  As
multi-national agribusiness firms have begun selling corn seed
with top-notch genetics to farmers around the world, the list of
competitors has increased dr