USDA Releases Final Grain Stocks Estimates

The Final Grain Stocks Report may be the last key figures we see if a government shutdown halts future updates.

WASHINGTON (RFD-TV) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its Final Grain Stocks Report on Tuesday, providing key figures that may be the last we see if a government shutdown halts future updates.

CommodityEstimatesTrade Guess
Corn1.53 BB1.34 BB
Soy316 MB323 MB
Wheat2.12 BB2.04 BB

While soybean growers work to bring in this year’s crop, selling it remains a challenging task. The American Soybean Association warns that the U.S. is losing competitiveness after China recently turned to Argentina for supplies.

“If we can be competitive with beans, we can get them moved like they did with Argentina,” says ASA Vice President Scott Metzger. “Those could’ve easily been our beans going over there. It shows that if that opportunity is there, China is willing to buy.”

The grain trade says the numbers underscore broader concerns as China steps back from U.S. purchases. The National Corn Growers Association calls the situation a “four-alarm fire” and is urging Congress to act quickly to remove market barriers.

Related Stories
A look at the legislative year ahead as lawmakers return to Washington with a slate of trade concerns to tackle in 2026—from new Chinese tariffs on beef imports to the USMCA review this summer.
Shaun Haney, Host of RealAg Radio on Rural Radio SiriusXM Channel 147, joined us with his 2026 cattle market outlook and insights on beef prices.
High ownership does not always translate into high output, underscoring the importance of structural differences in understanding state-level farm performance.
Record yields are cushioning production declines, but softer prices underscore the importance of cost control and market timing for vegetable growers.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Leslee Oden, president of the National Turkey Federation, and Jay Jandrain, CEO of Butterball, joined us in the studio on Monday to discuss the history, significance, and expectations surrounding this year’s presidential turkey pardon.
According to November’s Cattle on Feed Report, Nebraska now leads the nation in cattle feeding as tighter supplies continue to reshape regional market power and long-term price dynamics.
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) estimates that the move will save farmers and ranchers $2.5 billion each year. The group warns that new methods for calculating the adverse-effect wage rate would result in lower pay for foreign workers.
Higher rail tariffs and tighter Canadian supplies will keep oat transportation costs firm into 2026.
These “USDA Foods” are provided to USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) nutrition assistance programs, including food banks that operate The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), and are a vital component of the nation’s food safety net.
Industry support ensures continued funding for mango marketing and research, helping sustain long-term demand growth.