Soybeans in the context of "Food grain"

A grain is a small, hard, dry fruit (caryopsis) – with or without an attached hull layer – harvested for human or animal consumption. A grain crop is a grain-producing plant. The two main types of commercial grain crops are cereals and legumes.

After being harvested, dry grains are more durable than other staple foods, such as starchy fruits (plantains, breadfruit, etc.) and tubers (sweet potatoes, cassava, and more). This durability has made grains well suited to industrial agriculture, since they can be mechanically harvested, transported by rail or ship, stored for long periods in silos, and milled for flour or pressed for oil. Thus, the grain market is a major global agricultural market that includes crops such as maize, rice, soybeans, wheat and other grains.

Agriculture has been a cornerstone of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and its predecessors' economy and culture for millennia, supporting one of the world's largest populations and driving economic development. The country produces a diverse range of crops, including rice, wheat, corn, potatoes, soybeans, tomatoes, millet, cotton, tea, fruits, vegetables, and oilseeds. Due to limited arable land—which constitutes roughly 10% of China's total land area—intensive farming practices, innovative agricultural technologies, and efficient land-use management have historically been critical in meeting domestic food demands.

China's agricultural history dates back to the Neolithic era, with archaeological evidence showing early domestication and cultivation of rice and millet. Over the centuries, the introduction of newer agricultural technologies such as the moldboard plow, advanced irrigation systems, and crop rotation shaped society, as it generated greater agricultural surpluses. In the modern era, agriculture was notably impacted by state-led policies, including land reforms in the early years of the PRC, the collectivization efforts of the Great Leap Forward, and subsequent reforms such as the Family Production Responsibility System introduced during China's economic liberalization beginning in 1978.

The agricultural sector in Brazil is historically one of the principal bases of Brazil's economy. In 2024, Brazil was the second-biggest grain exporter in the world, with 19% of the international market share, and the fourth overall grain producer. Brazil is also the world's largest exporter of many popular agriculture commodities like coffee, soybeans, organic honey, beef, poultry, cane sugar, soybean meal, açai berry, orange juice, yerba mate, cellulose, tobacco, and the second biggest exporter of cotton, corn, pork, and ethanol. The country also has a significant presence as producer and exporter of rice, wheat, eggs, refined sugar, soybean oil, cocoa, beans, nuts, cassava, sisal fiber, and diverse fruits and vegetables.

The southern one-half to two-thirds of Brazil has a semi-temperate climate, higher rainfall, more fertile soil, more advanced technology and input use, adequate infrastructure and more experienced farmers. This region produces most of Brazil's grains, oilseeds, and agriculture exports.

In agriculture, monocropping is the practice of growing a single crop year after year on the same land. Maize, soybeans, and wheat are three common crops often monocropped. Monocropping is also referred to as continuous cropping, as in "continuous corn." Monocropping allows for farmers to have consistent crops throughout their entire farm. They can plant only the most profitable crop, use the same seed, pest control, machinery, and growing method on their entire farm, which may increase overall farm profitability.

Diversity can be added both in time, as with a crop rotation or sequence, or in space, with a polyculture or intercropping (see table below). Note that the distinction between monoculture and polyculture is not the same as between monocropping and intercropping. The first two describe diversity in space, as does intercropping. Monocropping and crop rotation describe diversity over time. This is frequently a source of confusion, even in scientific journal articles.

Vermillion (Lakota: Waséoyuze; "The Place Where Vermilion is Obtained") is a city in and the county seat of Clay County. It is in the southeastern corner of South Dakota, United States, and is the state's 12th-most populous city. According to the 2020 census, the population was 11,695. The city lies atop a bluff near the Missouri River.

The area has been home to Native American tribes for centuries. French fur traders first visited in the late 18th century. Vermillion was founded in 1859 and incorporated in 1873. The name refers to the Lakota name: wa sa wak pa'la (red stream). Home to the University of South Dakota, Vermillion has a mixed academic and rural character: the university is a major academic institution for the state, with its only law and medical schools and its only AACSB-accredited business school. Major farm products include corn, soybeans, and alfalfa.

Doubanjiang (traditional Chinese: 豆瓣醬; simplified Chinese: 豆瓣酱; pinyin: dòubànjiàng, IPA: [tôʊpântɕjâŋ]), also known as douban, toban-djan, broad bean chili sauce, or fermented chili bean paste, is a hot and savory Chinese bean paste made from fermented broad beans (fava beans), chili peppers, soybeans, salt, and flour. Characteristically used in Sichuan cuisine, it has been called "the soul of Sichuan cuisine." Sichuan dishes such as mapo tofu, huoguo (Sichuan hotpot), yuxiang flavoring, and shuizhu all use doubanjiang as a key ingredient. Other regions have their own versions: in Guangdong and Taiwan, for instance, Sichuan doubanjiang is called la-doubanjiang (Chinese: 辣豆瓣醬, "la" (辣) meaning "hot" or "spicy") to distinguish it from plainer versions.