During the past two decades corn production has increased in the South Atlantic region defined as Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia but not as rapidly as total U. S. production. The region accounted for 6.7 percent of the U. S. corn production in 1950 compared with 3.7 percent in 1970. During the same period soybean production has increased in the South Atlantic relative to other areas, accounting for 5.3 percent of U. S. production in 1970, up from 2.9 percent in 1950.The major consumer of both corn and soybeans is the livestock industry. During the past twenty years this industry has expanded in the South Atlantic. In terms of grain consuming animal units (GCAU), the region accounted for 7.4 percent of U. S. production in 1953 compared with 9.1 percent in 1970. As a result the area is a deficit producer of both corn and soybeans, although with the relative increase of soybean production, the soybean deficit is expected to decrease.
Reconstruction of the South Atlantic Subtropical Dipole index for the past 12,000 years from surface temperature proxy