WASDE Preview: December Report to Analyze Southern Hemisphere’s Grain Harvest

While this month’s WASDE report will not include updated figures on U.S. crop size, officials say it will offer a clearer picture of crop conditions in the Southern Hemisphere.

NASHVILLE, TENN. (RFD-TV) — In a little more than 24 hours, we will get our first look at the latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate (WASDE) Report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for December. This month’s WASDE report is expected to give markets a clear picture of where things stand after a busy harvest season.

Early trade estimates are already out with a big focus on the U.S. corn crop. Last year at this time, ending stocks were around 1.5 billion bushels. This year, traders estimate ending stocks will come in around 2.13 billion bushels. On the soybean side, the expectation is 308 million bushels. That is slightly below last year. And for wheat, estimates show that the crop’s ending stocks are around 40 million bushels over last year.

While this month’s WASDE report will not include updated figures on U.S. crop size, officials say it will offer a clearer picture of crop conditions in the Southern Hemisphere, with a heavy focus on the wheat harvest in Australia and the first corn and soybean crops from Brazil.

With the government shutdown, the USDA said export sales data that would have been released in October will now be released this week, too.

We will bring you those numbers from the delayed December WASDE Report and U.S. Crop Production reports right here on Market Day Report after they are released on Tuesday at 12 PM ET.

Related Stories
Tennessee corn and soy farmer Josh Ogle joins us to discuss rapid planting progress in the state, improving moisture conditions, and early crop development challenges in the MidSouth region.
The trip is giving them a firsthand look at farming beyond the U.S.
Ethanol demand held together last week, but lower production and thinner stocks put more focus on export strength. Production capacity is also strengthening over time and benefiting soybean farmers.
The farm bill is still moving, but the toughest amendment fights were pushed into today’s session. ASA President Scott Metzger joins us to discuss the risks of tariff actions on soybean exports, concerns over trade policy and production costs, and the importance of Farm Bill updates.
Higher biofuel mandates boost long-term crop demand, but a tighter D4 market may pressure biofuel feedstocks and pose new soybean oil demand risks.
The Purdue student team joins us to discuss how they developed Soy-Seal, their innovative soybean-based adhesive tape, and its potential ag impact.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

The new WOTUS proposal narrows federal jurisdiction, restores key agricultural exclusions, and gives farmers clearer permitting rules after years of regulatory uncertainty.
UMN Extension’s Emily Krekelberg outlines today’s top farm stressors, key signs of mental health distress in rural communities, and the resources available for support.
National Pork Board Chief Sustainability Officer Jamie Burr shares a closer look at the Pork Checkoff’s Pork Cares Farm Impact Report, a research program to increase trust in the pork supply chain.
Brooks York with Agrisompo joined us on Monday’s Market Day Report with some guidance on how producers can navigate their crop insurance claims for unsold grain crops.
For many farm businesses, property taxes on business assets have become a significant and highly visible expense, threatening liquidity, discouraging investment, and creating a disproportionate burden when compared to other industries.
Ethanol markets remain mixed — weaker production and blend rates are being partially balanced by stronger exports as winter demand patterns take shape.
Agriculture Shows
Hosted by Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady and RFD News Markets Specialist Tony St. James, Commodity Talk delivers expert insight into the day’s ag commodity markets just before the CME opens. Only on RFD-TV and Rural Radio SiriusXM Channel 147.
A look at the news, weather and commodities headlines that drove agriculture markets in the past week.
Everything profits from prairie. Soil, air, water — and all kinds of life! Learn how you can improve your land with prairie restoration, cover crops and prairie strips, while growing your bottom line.
Special 3-part series tells the story of the Claas family’s legacy, which changed agriculture forever.