The latest data from the U.S. Grains Council shows this year’s corn crop is not only high-yielding but also top-tier in quality — meeting or beating U.S. No. 2 standards across the board.
The average aggregate quality of U.S. corn samples tested for the U.S. Grains Council’s 2024/2025 Corn Export Cargo Quality Report, released today, was better than or equal to U.S. No. 2 on all grade factors.
“It’s difficult to understate the role of transparency in building trust between business partners, and the Council seeks to make detailed, accurate information about the quality of U.S. corn available to buyers around the world and facilitate international trade,” said Verity Ulibarri, U.S. Grains Council chairwoman in the report. “As always, we acknowledge the tremendous work done by the analysts that contribute so much to the report and to the Federal Grain Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture for providing samples for study.”
This export cargo quality report serves as a companion to the 2024/2025 Corn Harvest Quality Report, released last fall. Together, the two reports provide insights into U.S. corn quality from the farm to export points, using a consistent and transparent methodology. They offer early data on grading factors set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, moisture content and other characteristics not typically reported elsewhere. They also highlight any changes in quality between harvest and export due to handling, shipping and storage.
The 2024/2025 Corn Export Cargo Quality Report is based on 425 yellow commodity corn samples collected from export shipments during official inspection and grading by the Federal Grain Inspection Service or licensed inspectors.
Favorable growing conditions led to the highest projected yield average on record for the 2024 U.S. corn crop. Warm, dry weather in September and October supported a timely harvest and helped maintain crop quality.
The average test weight measured 58.3 pounds per bushel, which is higher than in 2023/2024 and the five-year average. Broken corn and foreign material came in at 2.5 percent after export handling, also lower than the five-year average. All tested samples were below the U.S. Food and Drug Administration action levels for aflatoxins and deoxynivalenol.
In the months ahead, the Council’s eight international offices will host crop quality seminars to share the results with global buyers and end-users. These events aim to build clear expectations around corn quality for the 2024/2025 marketing year.
View the full 2024/2025 Corn Export Cargo Quality Report here.
