May 19, 2026
WASDE May Report - United States
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
2026 U.S. corn - In their first estimate of the 2026 U.S. corn crop, the USDA is estimating the corn planted acreage at 95.3 million acres, which is unchanged from the March Prospective Plantings report. The harvested acreage is estimated at 87.4 million acres (91.7% of planted). Corn yield is estimated at 183.0 bu/ac resulting in production of 15.995 billion bushels.
The 2026 U.S. corn acreage may end up down 1-2 million acres from the March Prospective Plantings report due to the high cost of inputs such as fertilizers, earlier drought conditions in the southeastern U.S., and below normal temperatures this spring across the northern states. Therefore, the U.S. corn acreage is estimated at 93.8 million acres, down 1.5 million from the Prospective Plantings report resulting in a harvested acreage of 86.0 million acres (91.7% of planted).
If U.S. farmers reduce their fertilizer application rates due to high prices, the U.S. corn yield may fall short of the 183.0 bu/ac estimated by the USDA. Therefore, the U.S. corn yield is estimated at 181.0 bu/ac resulting in a production of 15.566 billion bushels.
2026 U.S. soybeans - In their first estimate of the 2026 U.S. soybean crop, the USDA is estimating the soybean planted acreage at 84.7 million acres, which is unchanged from the March Prospective Plantings report. The harvested acreage is estimated at 83.7 million acres (98.8% of planted). Soybean yield is estimated at 53.0 bu/ac resulting in a production of 4.435 billion bushels.
If U.S. farmers reduce their 2026 corn acreage, those acres would most likely switch to soybeans. Therefore, the 2026 U.S. soybean acreage is estimated at 86.2 million acres, up 1.5 million from the Prospective Plantings report resulting in a harvested acreage of 85.1 million acres (98.8% of planted).
Soybean yields are not as sensitive to reduced fertilizer applications as corn, so if farmers trim their fertilizer applications, it may only have a minor impact on soybean yields. Therefore the U.S. soybean yield is estimated at 52.0 bu/ac resulting in a production of 4.425 billion bushels.