Global Grain Production at Record High Despite Extreme Climatic Events

Abstract

In 2012, global grain production was expected to reach a record high of 2.37 billion tons, an increase of 1 percent from 2011 levels.¹ (See Figure 1.) Grain crops are used for human consumption, animal feed, and biofuels. According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the production of grain for animal feed is growing the fastest—a 2.1 percent increase from 2011.² Grain for direct consumption by people grew 1.1 percent from 2011.³ Grain used for biofuel production and other non-feed uses has slowed to a 1 percent increase from 2011 (compared with an 8.2 percent increase from 2008 to 2009).⁴