Back in the 30’s we planted wheat because the price of wheat was up. The prairies were covered in it. Then the crash came which caused the dust bowl because we had plowed up all of the indigenous grasses that held the topsoil. It’s a vicious cycle.
A vicious cycle, but it sucks when the government is behind the mess. Other crops (wheat, beans, etc.) are/have been replaced by corn which is now an artificial “cash” crop.
So less of the other stuff - food prices go up. And of course the corn is up too (competing with ethanol corn).
Corn is also a HUGE user of water, three times more than wheat and grains, and 10 times more than beans. I guess the depletion of the Ogalla Aquifer isn’t in style with the Greenies anymore.
Corn also requires a lot more fertilizers which can pollute.