USA: corn harvest lags behind normal — 60% of acreage harvested vs. a 66% average

In its October 26 Crop Progress report, the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA NASS) said that as of October 25, 60% of corn acreage had been harvested in the 18 major states — 6 points below the 2021–2025 average. Soybeans, by contrast, were 79% harvested — slightly ahead of normal (77%).

Key figures

• Corn: 60% (avg 66%)
• Iowa: 47% (avg 67%)
• Soybeans: 79% (avg 77%)
• Winter wheat: 76%
• Corn good/excellent: 56%
• Dry topsoil: 38%

What changed

Over the week, the corn harvest advanced from 44% to 60%, but it is still behind the five-year average. The biggest laggards are Iowa at 47% vs. a 67% average, South Dakota at 44% vs. 62%, Michigan at 28% vs. 43% and Ohio at 35% vs. 46%. Illinois (74%) and Indiana (61%) are running slightly ahead of average. Corn condition was nearly unchanged: 56% of the crop rated good to excellent, 18% poor to very poor.

By the numbers

• Soybeans: 79% harvested vs. 64% a week earlier and a 77% average.
• Winter wheat: 76% planted (avg 77%), 53% emerged (avg 54%).
• Sorghum: 56% harvested vs. a 69% average.
• Sunflowers: 46% harvested vs. a 40% average.
• Cotton: 52% harvested vs. a 45% average.
• Topsoil in the 48 states: 12% very dry, 26% dry.

What it means for buyers

The pace of the US harvest is one of the benchmarks for the world corn and soybean market. The lag in Iowa and South Dakota means a sizable share of US corn was still in the field at the end of October, while soybeans are nearly done. Buyers in Kazakhstan and Ukraine who watch world prices when planning plantings and purchases should keep this timing in mind: the Crop Progress report comes out weekly through the end of November.

Background

NASS publishes the Crop Progress report weekly from April through November; it tracks planting, harvest and crop condition in the major producing states. Corn data cover 18 states that accounted for 93% of harvested corn acreage in 2025, and soybean data cover 18 states with 96% of the acreage. For cotton, bolls had opened on 89% of acreage in 15 states (avg 92%), with 33% of the crop rated good to excellent.

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA NASS)