USDA Reports Record Corn and Soybean Acreage Amid Yield Cuts

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has reported a record combined corn and soybean acreage for the 2026/27 season, totaling 183.5 million acres. This represents an increase of over 3 million acres above the previous record.

The August reports revealed an additional 1.4 million acres for both crops, pushing soybean plantings to historic highs. The USDA raised corn planted area to 96.7 million acres, which offset a reduction in national yield forecasts.

Total production is now projected at 16.013 billion bushels despite the yield dropping 2.3 bushels per acre to 180.7. Markets responded quickly to the yield cut, with CBOT corn futures climbing 2.9% to reach $4.74 per bushel.