3 Big Things Today, Sept. 30, 2025
- Media Logic Radio
- Sep 30
- 3 min read
Corn and soybean futures were lower in overnight trading; inspections of wheat for export declined week-to-week.
By Tony Dreibus
1. Corn, Soybean Futures Lower in Overnight Trading
Corn and soybean futures were lower overnight as the U.S. harvest progresses and on some concerns about demand.
Eighteen percent of U.S. corn was harvested as of Sunday, up from 11% a week earlier, but just behind the prior five-year average of 19%, the Department of Agriculture said in a weekly report.
North Carolina led with 82% harvested, followed by Texas at 79% and Tennessee at 69%, the agency said. The harvest was 15% complete in Iowa and 21% in Illinois.
Corn looks relatively good with 66% in good or excellent condition, unchanged week to week.
Iowa and Illinois are the largest producers of both corn and soybeans in the U.S.
The soybean harvest picked up steam last week as 19% was collected as of Sunday versus 9% seven days earlier, USDA said. Still, that trails the average for this time of year by 1 percentage point.
Louisiana producers led the pack with 78% harvested. About 17% of soybeans in Iowa were in the bin at the start of the week as were 21% in Illinois.
Sixty-two percent of U.S. soybeans were in good or excellent shape as of Sunday, up a percentage point from the week prior, government data show.
Also weighing on prices overnight are concerns about demand for U.S. agricultural products.
China hasn’t bought any U.S. soybeans since May, and a Reuters report yesterday showed the Asian nation has turned to Australia for beef imports.
U.S. exporters sold beef valued at $8.1 million in July and $9.5 million in August versus $118 million and $125 million, respectively, during the same months in 2024, Reuters reported, citing Chinese customs data.
Chinese purchases of Australian beef, meanwhile, surged to $221 million in July and $226 million in August from an average of $140 million a month in the previous two years, the report said.
Corn futures fell 1¾¢ to $4.19¾ a bushel overnight on the Chicago Board of Trade.
Soybean futures for November delivery lost 3½¢ to $10.07 a bushel. Soymeal dropped 90¢ to $274.50 a short ton and soybean oil futures gained 0.07¢ to 49.76¢ a pound.
Wheat futures for December delivery fell ¾¢ to $5.18¾ a bushel. Kansas City futures were down 1¢ to $5.07¼ a bushel.
2. Wheat Export Inspections Decline Week-to-Week
Inspections of wheat for overseas delivery declined week to week while corn and soybean assessments increased, according to data from the USDA.
Wheat inspections in the seven days that ended on Sept. 25 totaled 738,604 metric tons, down from 939,803 tons the previous week, the agency said. Still, that’s well above the 551,817 tons that were examined in the same week last year.
Corn assessments last week were reported at 1.53 million metric tons versus 1.39 million in the week prior and 1.15 million at the same point in 2024.
Soybean inspections totaled 593,956 metric tons, up from 565,630 tons a week earlier, but down from 683,341 tons during the same week a year earlier, USDA said.
Since the start of wheat’s marketing year on June 1, the government has inspected 9.54 million metric tons for export, up from the 8.28 million tons assessed during the same timeframe last year.
Corn inspections since the start of the grain’s marketing year are now at 5.1 million metric tons, up from 3.35 million at this point a year ago.
Examinations of soybeans for offshore delivery are up year over year at 2.25 million metric tons, which compares with the 1.93 million tons assessed during the same period last year, USDA said in its report.
3. Windy, Dry Conditions Expected in South Dakota
Gusty winds and low relative humidity will increase wildfire risks in parts of southern South Dakota and northern Nebraska, according to National Weather Service maps.
Southerly winds will gust 25–35 mph today, the agency said. Humidity will drop to as low as 35%, which should keep widespread dangers from wildfires at bay.
“However, the gusty winds could produce locally elevated fire danger, especially in areas with drier grass or crops,” NWS said.
The windy weather will persist throughout much of this week just west of Interstate 29, the agency said.
In western South Dakota, humidity will drop below 30% and potentially under 20% in some areas, which will increase fire danger this afternoon.
