Harvesting corn in the West Country

This film is from a maize-producing farm in the West Country. It shows harvesting. A cereal crop, maize or corn can be eaten fresh as corn on the cob or processed as sweetcorn, in the sugar industry as corn syrup or as animal feed for mostly dairy cattle. The UK climate is suitable for earlier maturing varieties and rising temperatures have enabled the crop to be produced.

Today maize is being grown as an energy crop for anaerobic digesters AD, a popular technology for the production of energy. The process is used to manage waste and to produce fuels. ADs are also used for fermentation processes to produce food and drink products. Maize or corn is indigenous to Mexico but now grows around the world and is one of the only grains to grow in both tropical and temperate climates. Demand for maize production remains high with over 1.25 million tonnes produced annually.