USDA Again Increases Corn Planted Acreage, Production

Reuters’ Karl Plume reported that “U.S. farmers will reap a record corn crop this autumn, eclipsing the previous record set two years ago by nearly 1.5 billion bushels after harvesting their largest acreage in 92 years, the Department of Agriculture said on Friday.”

“The USDA lowered its corn yield forecast on Friday but total production rose as it increased its estimate for how many acres will be harvested. In August it surprised grain traders with a large acreage increase,” Plume reported. “…The USDA raised its 2025 U.S. corn production estimate to a record 16.814 billion bushels. It projected a record average yield of 186.7 bushels per acre, down from 188.8 bushels per acre in August. Both figures were above analysts’ expectations.”

“The grain glut is likely to weigh on the farm economy. U.S. growers have already been struggling with low crop prices and rising costs for inputs such as fertilizer and seeds. Cash crop receipts adjusted for inflation are forecast at the lowest level since 2007,” Plume reported. “Heftier supplies, however, would benefit livestock producers that use the crop for feed, along with ethanol producers.”

Diseases Still Lurking in Midwestern Corn Fields Threaten Yield

Reuters’ Julie Ingwersen reported late last week that “high levels of fungal disease are lurking in corn fields across the U.S. Midwest, threatening to reduce yields of a record-large crop and cause headaches for farmers during the autumn harvest, growers and crop experts said.”

“The outbreaks are a blow to farmers in the world’s biggest corn-producing country as they struggle to make money due to low grain prices and rising costs for fertilizer, seed and other inputs,” Ingwersen reported. “Farmers had hoped to produce the biggest possible yields to offset low prices, and crop diseases put that plan at risk. ‘I’ve never seen disease as severe as I’ve seen this year,’ Iowa State University plant pathologist Alison Robertson said.”

This puts today’s estimate of 2025 corn planted acreage in historical perspective. The last time corn planted acreage in the US was this large was 1936. I think we can safely say that farmers went a little wild planting corn this spring! pic.twitter.com/vkkgMZEGEN

— Scott Irwin (@ScottIrwinUI) September 12, 2025

“The main culprit is southern rust, which blows northward from tropical regions and can reduce yields by up to 45%, according to the Crop Protection Network, a consortium of university experts,” Ingwersen reported. “…Participants on a tour of Midwestern farms came face to face with outbreaks last month. After trekking into fields, they emerged with rust-colored dust covering their sleeves.”

“Another disease, tar spot, was also widely detected,” Ingwersen reported. “…Fungicides can mitigate the damage, and many farmers applied them this summer. But applications cost money at a time when some growers can hardly cover their production costs.”

Soybean Yield Down Slightly

Progressive Farmer Staff reported that “farmers planted 81.1 million acres of soybeans, and USDA expects them to harvest 80.3 million acres of it. The national average yield declined by 0.1 bushel per acre to 53.5 bpa. That put production at 4.301 billion bushels.”

“Beginning stocks and imports were held steady at 330 mb and 20 mb, respectively, leading to total supplies of 4.651 bb,” Progressive Farmer reported. “On the demand side, crush forecasts grew by 15 mb to 2.555 bb while exports fell by 20 mb to 1.685 mb. Seed use was forecast at 73 mb, unchanged from last month, while residual use increased by 3 mb to 37 mb. The net result was an ending stocks estimate of 300 mb, up 10 mb from August’s estimate.”

“The national average farm gate price declined by a dime to $10 per bushel,” Progressive Farmer reported.