The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) said on Friday that it will release several key agriculture reports in November, including a monthly crop supply and demand report that was not issued in October due to the ongoing U.S. government shutdown.
USDA Data
Gov’t Shutdown Hits Crucial Tools for Farmers, Commodity Traders
The government shutdown is creating financial heartburn for farmers across the country, stalling the delivery of farm loans, the release of critical market reports and the Trump administration’s plans for cash bailouts.
USDA Puts Researchers on Leave After Canceling Hunger Report
The team of federal economists and researchers responsible for producing the government survey that measures hunger in America were put on indefinite paid leave Monday from the USDA, according to the union that represents the workers.
USDA Again Increases Corn Planted Acreage, Production
The USDA this past Friday 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.
USDA Projects Ag Trade Deficit Will Fall to $41.5 Billion in 2026
USDA’s quarterly trade outlook lowered the projected trade deficit for fiscal 2025 to $47 billion from the $49.5 billion estimated in June. The deficit is projected to drop to $41.5 billion for fiscal 2026, which starts Oct. 1, because U.S. ag imports are expected to fall even more than exports.
USDA Forecasts Record Corn Yield and Production
The USDA on Tuesday forecast a record corn crop at a whopping 16.7 billion bushels with record yields projected for corn at 188.8 bushels per acre — shattering another record. USDA also bumped up the soybean yield to 53.6 bpa, just below the record.
Ag Trade Deficit Hits Record High In First Half of 2025
The US agricultural trade deficit hit a record high in the first half of 2025, with the value of agricultural exports trailing that of imports by $4.1 billion in June — a gap 14% wider than a year earlier — pushing the sector’s deficit to a staggering $28.6 billion for the first six months of the year.
Corn Futures Dipped Below $4 on Wednesday
Corn futures fell below $4 a bushel (on Wednesday) to the lowest level in about 11 months as favorable US weather continued to weigh on prices ahead of a key report due next week that could show eye-popping yields. As of Thursday morning, corn is back above $4.
New-Crop US Soybean Export Sales at 20-Year Low
As of July 24, US soybean exporters had sold just over 3 million metric tons of soybeans for export in 2025/26, which begins September 1. That volume is a 20-year low for the date and is down 12% from last year.
US July Cattle Herd Smallest Since 1973
There were about 94.2 million cattle and calves in the US as of July 1, the lowest mid-year count on record in data going back to 1973, the Department of Agriculture said in a report.
California’s Prop 12 Increased Pork Prices, USDA Data Says
Republicans continued on Wednesday a years-long effort to override a 2018 California law that bans the sale in the state of pork from pigs kept in tightly confined spaces, arguing in a House Agriculture Committee hearing that the law is overly burdensome to farmers.
Beef Prices Soar to Record Highs in June
Ground beef prices across the U.S. continue to reach new highs, driven by shrinking cattle herds, with looming import restrictions threatening to push costs even higher. The average price of a pound of 100% ground beef rose to $6.12 last month, up from $5.98 in May.
Ag Trade Deficit Reaches Record High $20 Billion Through April
From January through April, the United States imported $78.2 billion in agricultural products while exporting just $58.5 billion. This $19.7 billion deficit is the largest ever recorded for the first four months of a year and signals that the 2025 deficit could surpass previous records.
Integrity of USDA Data Questioned After Trade Report Redaction
Analysts voiced concerns this week about the integrity of U.S. Department of Agriculture reports after the agency delayed a report and excluded findings that point to tariffs as a reason for a forecasted increase in the agricultural trade deficit.
US Retail Egg Prices Fell 12.7% in April
The Associated Press’ Dee-Ann Durbin reported that “U.S. retail egg prices fell in April from the record-high prices they hit earlier this year, according to government data released Tuesday. The average price for a dozen Grade A eggs declined to $5.12 last month after reaching a record $6.23 in March, according to the U.S. Bureau […]
Corn Acres Will Top 95 Million in 2025, USDA Says
Bloomberg’s Michael Hirtzer reported Monday that “US farmers are boosting corn planting to a five-year high as the looming trade war makes America’s mostly widely grown crop a relatively safe bet even as demand is at risk of being shaken up by reciprocal tariffs.” “Farmers are expected to plant 95.3 million acres of corn this […]
Analysts Expect 4 Million More Corn Acres in 2025
Progressive Farmer’s Rhett Montgomery reported that “on Monday, March 31, USDA will release two major reports out to the market at 11 a.m. CDT. The Prospective Plantings report and quarterly Grain Stocks report will serve to give a very early look into production potential for spring-planted crops, while also accounting for inventory still on hand from […]
Tariffs Threaten Shift to Higher Corn Acres in 2025
Bloomberg’s Kim Chipman reported late last week that “President Donald Trump’s slew of tariffs means American farmers may not make that big shift to corn after all. Growers were widely expected to plant the most corn in five years due to tighter supplies. Now levies on some products from Canada, Mexico and China have shifted […]
USDA Increases Corn Yield Estimate to New Record
Progressive Farmer Staff reported Thursday that “going against analysts’ pre-report estimates, USDA on Thursday raised corn production slightly as the yield was bumped up to a record level. Corn production was pegged at 15.186 billion bushels, up 39 million bushels from August. The yield was raised 0.5 bushels per acre to a record 183.6 bpa.” […]
Pro Farmer Tour Finds ‘Spectacular’ US Soybean Crop
Pro Farmer Editors reported on Friday that “Pro Farmer estimates the U.S. corn crop at 14.979 billion bushels using an average yield of 181.1 bushels per acre. We estimate the U.S. soybean crop at 4.740 billion bushels at an average yield of 54.9 bushels per acre.” “The national estimates above reflect Pro Farmer’s view on […]