Joel Duffy, age 10, of Birmingham, Ala., for his question:

WHAT IS THE LARGEST FARM CROP GROWN IN AMERICA?

Corn is the most valuable and largest crop grown in the United States. Corn covers about 72 million acres of land, more than any other crop.

Corn grows in almost every state, but four fifths of the corn production in the United States comes from an area known as the Corn Belt. This area includes Illinois, Indiana', Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and South Dakota, Leaders in corn production include Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and Indiana.

The United States usually produces about 50 percent of the world's total corn production.

Farmers in the United Sttates feed the largest part of the corn crop to their livestock. They sell the rest of the crop to industries for use in processed food and industrial products, including corn syrup, cornstarch and plastics.

Corn on the cob is an American favorite. Other corn favorites include corn flakes and hot, buttered popcorn.