U.S. corn quality remains high through supply chain

WASHINGTON — High-quality corn harvested last fall continued to maintain its high grades as it entered international export channels.

The U.S. Grains and BioProducts Council recently released its 2025-2026 Corn Export Cargo Quality Report that indicated the average aggregate quality of U.S. corn samples “was better than or equal to U.S. No. 2 on all grade factors.”

“The council’s Corn Export Cargo Quality Report is now in its 15th edition, a testament to the organization’s dedication and commitment to connecting international end users of feed grains and their co-products to U.S. farmers,” said Mark Wilson, USGBC chairman and farmer near Toulon in northwestern Illinois.

“This report would also not be possible without the tremendous work done by the analysts at Illinois Crop Improvement Association’s Identity Preserved Grain Laboratory, Champaign-Danville Grain Inspection and the Federal Grain Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture for providing samples for study.”

Sampling

The report is based on 430 yellow commodity corn samples collected from export shipments as they underwent inspection and grading processes performed by the FGIS or other licensed inspectors. The samples were taken from the Pacific Northwest, Southern Rail and Gulf export areas.

The export cargo quality report is a companion to the 2025-2026 Corn Harvest Quality Report, published last fall.

Both reports provide reliable information on U.S. corn quality from the farm to the customer based on transparent and consistent methodology, offering an early view of grading factors established by USDA, moisture content and other characteristics not reported elsewhere.

The reports identify any noticeable changes occurring between these two time periods caused by shipping and logistics.

Results from the report are now being shared with customers around the world by USGBC staff based in its nine international offices and showcased during events and trade teams to maximize awareness of the quality and applications of U.S. corn.

Grade Factors

Corn test weight at the export points averaged 57.8 pounds per bushel and was lower than the five-year average. However, 100% of the samples tested at or above the minimum for U.S. No. 2 grade indicated overall good quality.

Broken corn and foreign material registered at 2.4% after moving through export channels, the lowest in the report’s 15-year history. BCFM predictability increased from 0.3% to 2.4% as the crop moved from harvest through the marketing channel to export.

The average total damage at export, measuring 1.6%, was lower than 2024-2025 and the five-year average. About 93% of the samples were at or below the limit for U.S. No. 1 grade, compared to 92.3% last year.

There was no heat damage, the same as 2024-2025 and the five-year average, indicating good management of drying and storage of corn throughout the marketing channel.

Chemical Composition

Protein content was measured at 8.5% dry basis, similar to last year, but lower than the five-year average, and starch concentration was observed at 72.1%, the same as the previous year and higher than the five-year average.

Oil concentration, at 3.8% dry basis, was lower than last year and the five-year average.

Physical Factors

The average stress cracks, at 15%, was higher than 2024-2025 and the five-year average. Of this year’s export samples, 65.9% had less than 15% stress cracks compared to 70.8% of the samples a year ago.

The average 100-kernel weight was 36.83 grams, similar to 2024-2025 and higher than the five-year average.

The samples found 82.6% were whole kernels, lower than last year and the five-year average, and the average horneous, or hard, endosperm, at 84%, was lower than 2024-2025, but matched the five-year average.

Mycotoxins

All but three samples, totaling 98.4%, tested below the Food and Drug Administration action level of 20 parts per billion of aflatoxin.

A total of 96.2% of the export samples had levels of aflatoxin below the FGIS “lower conformance limit” of 5.0 ppb in 2025-2026, a similar portion of last year, at 96.1%, and higher than the 91.2% two years ago.

All but one sample, totaling 99.4%, tested below the 5 parts per million FDA advisory level for deoxynivalenol or vomitoxin. Of the sample tested for DON, 93.4% showed levels below 1.5 ppm, a lower proportion than last year’s 96.7%, but the same as 2023-2024.

Of the samples tested for fumonisin in 2025-2026, 96.7% were below the FDA’s strictest guidance level for fumonisin of 5.0 ppm. There were similar proportions the previous two years.