From farm-to-table, each state in the U.S. is known for providing many ag products and commodities. Get out of your concrete lifestyle and take a drive out of the city and look in any direction. Yes, this is where much of your dinner comes from.

That milk and yogurt you pour on your cereal don't originate from the dairy section at your local grocery store. It begins on the farm. The same goes for the steak you grilled over the weekend. The bag of chips you pulled off the shelf at the convenience store. And, the fries in your Happy Meal.

Every state has its strengths in producing the things we eat. Here in South Dakota as you would expect corn and soybeans to top the list. Plus, beef cattle.

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Minnesota and Iowa are not much different. In the center of the heartland, hog production in all three states stands as one of the top types of farming.

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According to Ag Daily, South Dakota’s agricultural production and processing industries represented 8.5 percent of the total state GDP. Our farmers plant more than 5 million acres of corn every year, resulting in the sixth largest corn acreage among all states.

That may seem like just a drop in the bucket compared to our neighbors:

  • Minnesota ranks tops in the nation for sugar beets, green peas for processing, and turkeys.
  • Iowa ranks second in dollars generated from agriculture sales, just behind California, with the agriculture industry responsible for 1 out of every 5 jobs in the state.

Here's something interesting you may not have known. Are you aware that Idaho isn't the only state where potatoes are king? Hold on to yourself, because Alaska is another big spud producer.

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Louis Hansel/Unsplash
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And one other thing. I love sweet potatoes. But, I didn't realize most of them we consume come from North Carolina.

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Most Dangerous Intersections in Minnesota, Iowa, And South Dakota

From Frybread to Pheasants - Here are South Dakota's Official State Things

Every state in our nation has chosen things that represent the state in one way or another to be official state things. Like a flower, or animal. South Dakota is no different.

The Mount Rushmore has a state flower. But did you know we also have a state tree and a state fish? Yes, we even have a state code.

Here is what we have so far in Wyoming. Thanks to the South Dakota Secretary of State's Office for the info:

 

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