U.S. corn farmers succeeded during a challenging year in 2010, producing a near-record harvest (12.4 billion bushels) and high average yields (152.8 nationally) despite harsh weather, the National Corn Growers Association reports in its newest World of Corn statistical look at the corn industry both domestic and worldwide.

World of Corn is a respected collection of the most important statistics about corn production, exports and consumption, providing key information in a readable format, comparing numbers and trends across the years.

This year's publication, available online now, highlights the wide variety of roles that farmers must play, from environmentalist to technology geek, in order to ensure that both their farm and their industry as a whole continue to meet growing demand in a sustainable manner. A special edition of the World of Corn featuring statistics in metric measurements will soon follow.

"Corn fuels nations around the world; as a food ingredient, a feedstock, a fuel, a fiber, an ingredient in building materials and pharmaceuticals, and beyond," NCGA President Bart Schott and Chief Executive Officer Rick Tolman note in the introduction. "It is possibly the most versatile crop in the world, and demand is at an all-time high. Most importantly, we are fortunate to have enough corn for all needs and all customers around the globe."

In addition to the online version, the publication, sponsored by Monsanto, was distributed in select Farm Progress publications and at the 2011 Commodity Classic in Tampa, Fla.