The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s annual crop report released Monday, shows record-setting production and a more bearish outlook for grain markets.
USDA estimates the 2025 U.S. corn crop at roughly 17 billion bushels, the largest on record, driven by strong yields and slightly higher harvested acreage. Corn yields were pegged at about 186 bushels per acre nationally. Soybean and wheat supplies also came in higher than many analysts expected, pushing projected ending stocks upward.
Iowa State University Extension Farm Management Field Specialist Eric Weuve tells RadioOnTheGo News the market’s reaction to the report reflects the large supply coming out of harvest.
“If we add that to our beginning stocks, we’re really sitting on a supply coming out of harvest, which is a whole lot of corn, right? And so that is why we saw the decrease in prices that we saw following the release of that report. The optimist in me, if you will, says that we saw it for one day. We’ve kind of leveled off in trading since then. So that is kind of good news, I think, as we have digested that information.”
Providing perspective for Iowa producers, Weuve says large supplies of grain both in the U.S. and globally are shaping market prices.
“As we go into production in a supply-heavy market, any production hiccups, whether it be late planting, drought, excess moisture, any of those things that are going to negatively impact our production in 2026 can quickly change the price scenario for new crop prices, right? As the market tries to stabilize and ensure that we have enough grain over the next 18 months and so that is different (than) where we were six years ago when we were in our last down market that was more of a demand, those are a little harder to overcome, we just have to build up new demand and that type of thing.”
For Iowa producers, the USDA report underscores the importance of careful marketing and planning as the 2026 crop season approaches.
Full interview with Weuve below
