How Miniature Crops Could Transform Midwest Farming Amid Climate Challenges

Amid climate challenges, shorter crops that are now being tested could transform Midwest farming and offer farmers variety.
Driving through the Midwest, many are accustomed to walls of corn reaching up to 12 feet, but this traditional sight may soon change as shorter, more resilient corn varieties are emerging as a solution to the growing threats of climate change.
The short corn developed by Bayer Crop Science is being tested on about 30,000 acres in the Midwest. Its compact size is engineered to withstand increasingly powerful windstorms, a phenomenon expected to become more frequent with climate change.
By testing the plants’ endurance against winds of up to 50 miles per hour, researchers have developed a variety that is not only resilient but also more productive. The smaller plants also allow farmers to plant more in fields at higher densities, allowing farmers to grow more corn per acre—a critical advantage amid ongoing price pressures and drought concerns.
Farmers like Cameron Sorgenfrey in eastern Iowa have been growing short-statured corn developed by Bayer Crop Science for several years.
“As you drive across the Midwest, maybe in the next seven, eight, 10 years, you’re going to see a lot of this out there,” Sorgenfrey told the Associated Press. “I think this is going to change agriculture in the Midwest.”
Newsweek reached out to Bayer Crop Science via email for comment
Corn is a cornerstone of U.S. agriculture, with nearly 90 million acres planted annually, producing over 400 million tons of the crop, much of which is used for livestock feed, ethanol production, and exports.
Dior Kelley, an assistant professor at Iowa State University, noted the significance, telling the AP, “It is huge. It’s a big, fundamental shift.”
Historically, researchers focused on maximizing yields, but now, climate-resilience traits, such as making the plant more drought-tolerant or able to withstand high temperatures, are taking center stage.
The urgency for the shorter crops came after the devastating August 2020 derecho, a windstorm that killed four people and caused $11 billion in damages across the Midwest, especially in eastern Iowa. Winds topping 100 miles per hour flattened cornfields, destroying crops just weeks before harvest.
Sorgenfrey recalls the storm “steamrolling” his field, further emphasizing the need for sturdier plants.
While the promise of short corn is significant, challenges remain. Kelley points out that corn cobs growing closer to the ground could face increased risks of disease or mold. The shorter plants could also be prone to “lodging,” where heavy rain causes the corn to tilt or fall, potentially affecting yields.
Despite these hurdles, Bayer and other companies like Stine Seed and Corteva have been developing short corn for over two decades to provide farmers with options that fit modern agricultural needs.
Bayer plans to ramp up short corn production by 2027, with hopes that the crop will become commonplace across the U.S. and potentially worldwide.
“We see the opportunity of this being the new normal across both the U.S. and other parts of the world,” Bayer spokesman Brian Leake told the AP.
This article includes reporting from the Associated Press.