U.S. Department of Agriculture
NASS identified a processing error affecting September corn data for Kansas, Nebraska and national figures. The agency says its October forecast of 181.2 bu. per acre remains unchanged, leaving questions about the yield jump.
Payments to cover in-field fuel costs expected by year’s end as farm aid tops the 2020 pandemic-era record of $45 billion
Facing midterm pressure, the White House is combining direct payments with controversial Russian fuel imports—but ag producers and lawmakers warn there is no quick fix for the nation’s refinery crunch.
Farmers could see record ARC and PLC payments by the end of October, but estimates of $13.2 to $13.8 billion fall short of early projections, and payment limits could trim individual checks.
Corn futures fell about 5% as USDA raised the national yield. Former USDA chief economist Seth Meyer says the data raises fair questions, but he doesn’t think sampling alone explains the jump.
USDA set new ARC/PLC enrollment deadlines this week and added 30 million base acres for 2026 and 2027. Economists say this gives farmers a clearer read on the programs, but warn against chasing whichever pays the most.
Despite widespread concerns over summer weather damage, USDA’s September WASDE corn yield came in almost exactly where the trade expected, which left stocks-to-use, not yield, as the number driving the market.
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announces new approach to streamline reporting, improve acreage and yield estimates, while expanding privacy and transparency across agricultural data.