According to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), U.S. farmers are entering harvest with record grain crops, limited storage and persistent market pressure.
USDA’s September World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report projects 2025-26 corn production at 16.8 billion bushels and soybean production at 4.3 billion bushels, both up from last year. Despite strong yields, slowing export demand and high transportation costs are weighing on prices. Ending corn stocks are expected to be near 2.1 billion bushels, keeping margins tight.
With the October WASDE delayed amid federal uncertainty, AFBF noted that farmers face a season defined by full bins, rising costs and constrained infrastructure, all of which threaten profitability well into 2026.
