The USDA’s September 2026 WASDE report shows mixed conditions across major crops. Corn production and ending stocks were lowered, while the projected farm price rose to $4.80 per bushel. Wheat prices also increased, while soybean production and exports rose, even as ending stocks declined. Globally, wheat supplies are expected to increase, along with trade and rice stocks, while U.S. sugar production was reduced because of lower beet and cane forecasts.
These supply changes come as weather continues to shape agricultural markets. The USDA’s September 15 Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin reports that much of the U.S. experienced hot, dry conditions, particularly across the Plains, while parts of the East received beneficial rainfall. Corn and soybean conditions remained generally fair, but cotton and sorghum continued to face heat and drought stress. The report also notes that summer 2026 was the hottest on record and that a strong El Niño is expected this fall and winter, adding further uncertainty to crop production and markets.
