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Corn

A gas pump in a cornfield, with the U.S. Capitol in the background | Illustration: Paul Hakimata/Baloncici/Dreamstime

Ethanol

Corn Belt Politicians Are Using High Gas Prices To Push Even More Carveouts for Ethanol

“The sale of E15 year-round would help the ethanol industry and no one else,” says one agricultural policy expert.

Jeff Luse | 4.29.2026 1:12 PM

Cargo ship at port with containers | Ian L. Sitren/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom

Free Trade

The Trump Administration Just Declared All Foreign Exports Unfair

By the administration's logic, Iowa is hurting Arizona by producing so much corn. This is a very silly way to think about economic policy.

Eric Boehm | 3.12.2026 3:05 PM

Eric Boehm drinking a coke while talking about sugar and corn syrup | Illustration: Adani Samat

Free Markets

How Special Interests Twisted Federal Sugar Policy To Cost Consumers $2.5 Billion Every Year

Meet Dwayne O. Andreas: The man most singularly responsible for the fact that it is corn, not sugar, in most American sweets.

Eric Boehm | 11.26.2025 4:15 PM

President Donald Trump alongside a bottle of Coca-Cola, and a field of sugarcane with tape across it that says "TARIFFS." | Illustration: Eddie Marshall | Viktorfischer | Ittipon | Dreamstime.com | Midjourney

Sugar

Trump Says Coke Will Be Made With Real Sugar. His Policies Make That More Difficult.

Government policy bears much of the blame for the use of high-fructose corn syrup, and Trump's policies will not change that.

Joe Lancaster | 7.17.2025 3:00 PM

Aerial view of corn field with sprinkler, grain bins, and farm buildings. | Photo 122849023 © Marek Uliasz | Dreamstime.com

Federal subsidies

Government Subsidies Keep Your Food Boring

The feds’ focus on large-scale crops hinders the resurgence of heritage grains and results in less food diversity.

C. Jarrett Dieterle | 6.15.2024 7:00 AM

Street tacos on an orange background | Photo 187175673 © Joshua Resnick | Dreamstime.com

Nanny State

California's Tortilla Bill Threatens To Flatten Small Businesses

Proposed legislation mandates folic acid in masa flour, sparking fears among traditional tortilla makers about costs and cultural impact.

C. Jarrett Dieterle | 6.1.2024 8:00 AM

An ear of corn and a gas pump dripping gasoline, against the backdrop of the American flag. | Jj Gouin | Dreamstime.com

Election 2024

Haley and DeSantis Pander to Iowans by Praising Ethanol Mandate

Unfortunately, none of the Republican candidates want to scrap the federal ethanol mandates.

Joe Lancaster | 1.10.2024 10:42 PM

v4

Comedy

Citizen vs. Government (Vol. 2)

More depressing answers to simple questions

Austin Bragg and Andrew Heaton | 6.22.2020 10:53 AM

Large image on homepages

Biotechnology

Corn Yields Boosted 50 Percent by Biotechnologists

Malthusians are never right and never win.

Ronald Bailey | 5.17.2016 3:02 PM

Large image on homepages

Sugar

Big Sugar Versus Big Corn: Bitter Fight Over Sweeteners in California Court

Real scandal is the amount of subsidies both Sugar Daddies are pulling down from Uncle Sugar.

Ronald Bailey | 11.3.2015 3:43 PM

GMO Food

Past Time for Genetically Enhanced Wheat

Ronald Bailey | 2.3.2014 2:10 PM

Science & Technology

Obama's Corn Ethanol Environmental Disaster

Ronald Bailey | 11.12.2013 11:42 AM

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