For 2023 corn, USDA raised its yield estimate by 1.9 bushels per acre (to 174.9 bushels per acre; Iowa’s estimate came in at 200, up a bushel). The yield change pushed production up by 170 million bushels. Feed usage was increased by 50 million bushels, as were exports, along with a 25 million bushel bump for ethanol. Thus, 2023-24 ending stocks increased by only 45 million bushels. Given the larger stocks, USDA decreased its 2023-24 season average price to $4.85 per bushel (down 10 cents).
For 2023 soybeans, USDA raised its yield estimate by 0.3 bushels per acre (to 49.9 bushels per acre; Iowa’s estimate remains at 58). The soybean production estimate rose by 25 million bushels. Seed and residual usage was decreased by less than 1 million bushels. There were no other changes to soy usage. So 2023-24 ending stocks increased by 25 million bushels to 245 million. USDA maintained its 2023-24 season average price at $12.90 per bushel.
For the 2024 crops, USDA has lower corn planting, higher soy planting, continuing struggles to boost usage leading to higher ending stocks, and lower prices across the board.
Chad Hart, ISU Extension Grain Marketing Economist, provides a summary of the latest USDA reports: WASDE, Annual Crop Production, and Grain Stocks.
As the market reaction shows, today’s release was a set of favorable reports. In the Annual Crop Production report, USDA ended up reducing 2020 crop plantings by roughly 200,000 acres and the national corn yield estimate by 3.8 bushels per acre. That reduced 2020 estimated corn production by 325 million bushels. Soybeans saw a similar drop, with the national yield estimate down 0.5 bushels per acre and estimated production lowered 35 million bushels. Looking at the state-level data, the corn production losses covered most of the Corn Belt, from the Dakotas to Ohio, with only the southern states (Kansas and Missouri) seeing an increase in the yield estimates. Iowa’s corn yield estimate was lowered 6 bushels, to 178 bushels per acre. For soybeans, the state-level data showed more variability, with Illinois, Missouri, and North Dakota gaining in yield, while most other states declined. Iowa’s soybean yield estimate was lowered by a bushel, to 53 bushels per acre.
The December crop stock levels came in at or below expectations. While USDA’s estimate of soybean stock levels landed well within the trade range of estimates, the corn stocks were estimated at least 250 million bushels below any of the published trade guesses. Crop usage for feed and exports has continued to chew through this year’s crop quickly.
Turning to the WASDE report, USDA bumped up 2019/20 corn feed usage by roughly 75 million bushels, which lowered 2019/20 carryout. For 2020/21, plugging in the 325 million drop in production (from the Annual Crop Production report), total supplies were lowered by 400 million bushels. To partially offset, USDA lowered expected feed (down 50 million), export (down 100 million), and ethanol (down 100 million) usage, based on higher expected prices. But that still implies a 150 million bushel decline in 2020/21 ending stock, dropping the estimated stocks to 1.55 billion, which would be the lowest level we’ve seen in several years. With all of these corn changes, USDA raised its 2020/21 season-average price estimate by 20 cents, to $4.20 per bushel. The changes to the soybean balance sheet mainly concentrated on the 2020/21 outlook. Given the smaller crop, USDA raised soybean imports by 20 million bushels, partially offsetting the yield loss. But soybean usage continues to expand. Domestic crush was raised 5 million bushels. Exports were raised 30 million bushels. The only soybean usage category that declined was seed and residual, by 13 million. Overall, 2020/21 soybean ending stocks were lowered 35 million bushels, to 140 million bushels in total, continuing the trend of tightening over the last several reports. USDA’s 2020/21 season-average price estimate was increased 60 cents, to $11.15 per bushel.
Chad Hart, ISU Extension Grain Marketing Economist, provides a summary of the latest WASDE report.
The trade was hoping to receive some additional demand strengthening, but USDA’s update provided next to no changes. The December report is almost always about demand, as the corn and soybean supply numbers are rarely changed in this month’s report (saving up the changes for the “final” estimates in January). The corn numbers remained as in November, with 2020/21 ending stocks at 1.7 billion bushels and the 2020/21 marketing year average price estimate at $4 per bushel. The only demand shift in soybeans was for domestic crush, up 15 million bushels. That lowered 2020/21 ending stocks to 175 million bushels, so the market should be getting close to “pipeline” levels (stock projections that are low enough where price can rise significantly to limit usage and hold the stocks at that level, preserving a small reserve going into the next marketing year). The 2020/21 marketing year average price estimate was raised 15 cents to $10.55 per bushel.
Chad Hart, ISU Extension Grain Marketing Economist, provides a summary of the latest WASDE report.
Compared to trade expectations, USDA lowered corn and soybean yield and production estimates and raised corn exports by more than expected. The slide in yields was across a broad swath of the country, reflecting the longer-term impacts of the drought and the extremely dry crops were brought in (yield loss due to crop moisture being below to well below average). Corn dropped 2.6 bushels per acre, knocking 215 million bushels out of total production. Soybeans dropped 1.2 bushels per acre, taking 98 million bushels out. For soybeans, the yield drop dominated the other small tweaks and the lack of adjustments to crush and exports. With the new soy stocks to use ratio now below 5%, the report provided another upward leg for the soybean market. USDA raised its 2020/21 season average to $10.40, the futures market was already at $10.60 and added roughly 30 cents today.
For corn, the yield drop was only part of the story. USDA also projected exports to rise to 2.65 billion bushels, a record. The export rise can be chalked up to a near doubling of expected corn sales to China. Most of those Chinese sales have already been made (roughly 85%), but only 15% of the targeted exports to China have been delivered at this point. 2020/21 ending stocks were lowered to 1.7 billion bushels (lowest level since 2013/14) and the USDA season-average price estimate rose to $4 per bushel. The futures market was at roughly $3.70 before the report, so for corn, USDA is already projecting continued price strengthening.
Chad Hart, ISU Extension Grain Marketing Economist, provides a summary of the latest WASDE report.
For corn, national yield was set back to 178.5 bushels per acre, down 3.3 bushels per acre and even with USDA’s earlier trend. With the downward adjustment in harvested area, that subtracts 378 million bushels from production, lowering total production to 14.9 billion bushels. Iowa was estimated at 191 bu/ac (down 11 bu/ac). Illinois was set at 203 bu/ac, down 4 bu/ac. Minnesota was set at 200 bu/ac, up 3 bu/ac. Indiana was set at 186 bu/ac, down 2 bu/ac. On the demand side, exports were lowered 30 million bushels on old crop, but raised 100 million bushels on new crop. Feed and residual was lowered 100 million bushels as well, but the change here is more related to the thought that smaller crop, smaller losses than reduced feed consumption. And ethanol was lowered 5 million bushels for old crop and 100 million bushels for new crop, on the continued drag in fuel usage. The result is 2020/21 ending stocks declined by 253 million and the 2020/21 season-average price estimate rose 40 cents, to $3.50 per bushel.
For soybeans, national yield was set at 51.9 bu/ac, down 1.4 bu/ac from last month. That subtracts 112 million bushels from production, lowering total production to 4.313 billion bushels. Iowa was estimated at 54 bu/ac, down 4 bu/ac. Illinois was set at 62 bu/ac, down 2 bu/ac. Minnesota was set at 52 bu/ac, up 1 bu/ac. Indiana was set at 60 bu/ac, down 1 bu/ac. On the demand side, no adjustments to new crop. Old crop crush was raised 10 million and old crop exports were raised 30 million. Like with corn, soybean 2020/21 ending stocks fell by 150 million bushels and the 2020/21 season-average price estimate rose 90 cents, to $9.25 per bushel.
