NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD-TV) — Transportation costs for U.S. grain exports eased in the second quarter of 2025, lowering landed costs for most routes and boosting inspection volumes.
October rail freight costs for grain have dropped to their lowest level in six years as sluggish soybean export demand weighs on the market.
The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service reported that Gulf-route transportation costs fell 1 percent for both corn and soybeans compared to last year, with ocean freight down 24 percent. Quarter-to-quarter, costs dropped 18 percent for corn and 22 percent for soybeans thanks to cheaper trucking and the seasonal reopening of the Upper Mississippi River.
Corn inspections through the Gulf reached 10 million metric tons (394 million bushels), up 43 percent year-over-year, while soybean inspections totaled 2.9 million metric tons (mmt), or 106 million bushels, up 7 percent.
In the Pacific Northwest, transportation costs fell 7 percent for corn and 6 percent for soybeans from last year. Inspections there rose to 6.8 mmt (268 million bushels) of corn, up 26 percent, and 0.2 mmt (7 million bushels) of soybeans, up 222 percent.
Looking ahead, USDA projects U.S. corn exports in 2025/26 to climb 2 percent to 73.03 mmt (2.87 billion bushels), while soybean exports are expected to fall 9 percent to 46.40 mmt (1.70 billion bushels).
Analysts say China’s absence from U.S. corn and soybean purchases remains a key uncertainty even as Mexico, Japan, and South Korea continue to anchor demand.
Tony’s Farm-Level Takeaway: Cheaper freight is helping exports move, especially corn, but weaker soybean demand looms large. Farmers should watch Gulf and PNW flows closely as transportation and trade dynamics set the tone for the new marketing year.
November 03, 2025 01:29 PM
China’s crusher losses and Brazil tensions, Gale warns, could reopen critical soybean trade channels for U.S. producers.
November 03, 2025 11:13 AM
·
Persistently low Mississippi River levels are turning logistics challenges into pricing risks — tightening margins for grain producers and exporters across the heartland.
November 03, 2025 10:20 AM
·
China’s grain expansion model may be hitting its limit. Lower prices, high rents, and policy fatigue threaten future output — with ripple effects across global feed and oilseed markets.
November 02, 2025 05:06 AM
·
U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) shares his outlook on the developing U.S.-China Trade agreement, and the ongoing impact of the federal government shutdown—now stretching past four weeks—on rural communities and producers.
October 31, 2025 01:35 PM
·
RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney joined us on Friday’s Market Day Report to discuss what the Carney-Xi meeting could mean for Canadian producers.
October 31, 2025 01:29 PM
·
Market analyst and friend of the show, Shawn Hackett, says Brazil’s shifting use of crops for biofuel production is a significant factor.
October 31, 2025 01:17 PM
·
Caleb Ragland, president of the American Soybean Association (ASA), shares his reaction to news of soybean sales to China, which is considered both “welcome news” and a return to near-normal trade relations.
October 31, 2025 12:26 PM
·
Rabobank’s outlook signals a tightening margin environment, emphasizing the need for cost control, trade stability, and clearer policy signals heading into 2026.
October 31, 2025 11:44 AM
·
