Linters , which are the short hairs that cling to the seed after the longer fibers have been removed, go into everything from photographic film and paper currency, to cellulose products used in ice cream, chewing gum and maple syrup. Many useful items come from corn, soybeans and other plants grown by farmers. Besides the obvious corn products like corn chips, corn meal and cereal, many other items we use every day are derived from by-products of corn. Most processed foods and beverages such as soda water are sweetened, not with sugar, but with corn syrup. Corn oil is used extensively for cooking oil and in margarine, soup, potato chips and other processed foods.
Corn starch is used in aspirin, antibiotics, chewing gum, cosmetics and many bakery products.
Corn can also be turned into a fuel called ethanol which can be used to power automobiles. A lot of the corn grown in Texas is used as livestock feed. Soybeans is a crop grown by farmers that provides many food and non-food products that we have come to depend on. Soybean oil is not only used for cooking, but is an important ingredient in paint, cosmetics, bread and pastry, printers ink, pesticides, rubber and plastics. Soybeans are used in candy and cereal, as a substitute for meat products and in medicines and pharmaceuticals.