| Corn (Maize) | Grain | May-June (N. Hemisphere) | 4-9 | Sandy loam to clay loam | Medium | 150-180 bu/acre | Rootworm, Corn Borer, Aphids | Most widely grown crop in the US. Used for food, ethanol, animal feed and industrial products. |
| Soybeans | Legume | May-June | 4-8 | Well-drained loam | Medium | 45-55 bu/acre | Soybean Aphid, Bean Leaf Beetle | Second largest US crop. Fixes atmospheric nitrogen. Primary protein source in animal feed. |
| Winter Wheat | Grain | September-October | 4-9 | Clay loam to silt loam | Low | 40-60 bu/acre | Hessian Fly, Rust, Septoria | Planted in fall, harvested in summer. Most widely produced wheat type in North America. |
| Rice | Grain | April-May | 9-11 | Clay soils, flooded fields | High | 5,000-8,000 lbs/acre | Rice Blast, Brown Planthopper | Requires flooded paddies. Staple food for over half the world's population. |
| Cotton | Fiber | April-May | 7-10 | Sandy loam, well-drained | Medium | 1,000-1,200 lbs lint/acre | Boll Weevil, Bollworm, Aphids | Primary natural fiber crop. Also produces cottonseed oil. Requires 150-200 frost-free days. |
| Tomatoes | Vegetable | March-May (transplant) | 5-8 | Sandy loam, well-drained | Medium | 20-30 tons/acre | Tomato Hornworm, Blight, Fusarium | Most valuable vegetable crop. Both fresh market and processing varieties grown widely. |
| Potatoes | Root Vegetable | March-May | 3-5 | Sandy loam, slightly acidic | Medium | 35-45 tons/acre | Colorado Potato Beetle, Blight, Nematodes | Fourth largest food crop globally. Requires hilling and consistent moisture. |
| Alfalfa | Forage | Spring (established) | 3-9 | Well-drained, pH 6.5-7.5 | Low | 4-8 tons/acre (dry) | Alfalfa Weevil, Aphids, Leafhoppers | Queen of forages. Nitrogen-fixing legume. Multiple harvests per season. Primary dairy feed. |
| Sunflower | Oilseed | May-June | 4-9 | Well-drained loam | Low | 1,500-2,000 lbs/acre | Sunflower Moth, Sclerotinia, Birds | Grown for oil, birdseed and confection markets. Drought tolerant. Deep taproot. |
| Sugar Beets | Root Vegetable | April-May | 3-7 | Sandy loam to clay loam | Medium | 20-28 tons/acre | Rhizomania, Cercospora, Aphids | Primary sugar source in Northern US and Europe. 20% sugar content by weight. |