US Corn Crop Forecasted to Reach Second-Largest Record Despite Weather Woes
US farmers are expected to harvest their second-largest corn crop on record this autumn due to lower yields caused by adverse summer weather being offset by larger plantings. According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the average 2026 US corn yield is projected at 180.7 bushels per acre, down from its previous forecast of 183 bushels per acre.
The USDA also raised its outlook for harvested corn acres, which more than offset the drop in per-acre yields. As a result, US farmers are expected to reap their second-largest corn crop on record, behind only the 2025 crop of 17.021 billion bushels.
Randy Place, analyst with the Hightower Report, said 'The big yield drop in the corn can offset those higher acres and get ending stocks lower than expected.' He added that it's a bullish report for corn due to ongoing global fundamentals.