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Ag Marketing IQ: Yield estimates from crop tours point to potential sub-1.5-billion-bushel carryout, the tightest in five years. Farmers can move now to lock in gains and hold onto upside flexibility.

At a Glance

• Corn rallied 95 cents between Aug. 12 and 25.
• Tight supplies mirror 2021 market conditions.
• Consider puts to protect gains and position for more

Wow, what a volatile time we are experiencing right now! Whether spurred by political unrest in the Middle East, changing Chinese grain demand or threatening crop conditions, grain prices are on the move. Since the August USDA report two weeks ago, December ‘26 corn has rallied 60 cents, and it has rallied 95 cents since the June 30 acreage report.

August is the time frame when we normally set the marketing year low and wonder why we are holding on to that last percentage of old crop. But not this year. This year we get to embrace something positive before harvest starts. So be thankful that the world is finally paying attention to our increasing corn demand and what appears to be a possible hiccup in 2026 corn production. You see? The glass is half full. Marketing isn’t always a bad thing.

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