1. Grains Show Green Early Morning
As the clock struck 6:30 a.m. CT, corn futures for May rose by 2 cents, reaching $4.56 per bushel. Meanwhile, May soybeans gained 3 cents, now priced at $11.58¼ per bushel. In contrast, May soymeal experienced a decline of 40 cents, settling at $311.80 per short ton, while May soy oil increased by 1.23 cents to 65.17 cents per pound.
The wheat market reflected mixed signals this morning. Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) wheat saw a slight uptick of ¼ cent, reaching $5.97½ per bushel. In contrast, Kansas City wheat dipped by ½ cent to $6.16 per bushel, and Minneapolis wheat fell by 10¼ cents, landing at $6.25¾ per bushel.
Karl Setzer, a partner at Consus Ag Consulting, noted, "Futures stabilized overnight following Monday's significant declines across various markets, particularly in agriculture. Soybeans faced the most considerable losses, prompting expanded limits for Tuesday. This adjustment sets the soybean daily limit at $1.05 per bushel, while corn and wheat experienced pressure without hitting their limits."
2. Inspections Increase Weekly for Corn and Soybeans
According to the USDA, export inspections for corn and soybeans showed improvement for the week ending March 12. Corn inspections reached 1.65 million metric tons, a rise from 1.52 million metric tons the previous week, although slightly lower than the 1.69 million metric tons reported during the same week last year.
For soybeans, inspections totaled 966 thousand metric tons, up from 887 thousand metric tons in the prior week and significantly higher than the 664 thousand metric tons assessed at this time last year. However, wheat inspections for offshore delivery decreased to 343 thousand metric tons, down from 498 thousand metric tons a week prior and 495 thousand metric tons at this time last year.
Since the marketing year commenced on September 1, the USDA has inspected 42.86 million metric tons of corn for export, a notable increase from 30.8 million metric tons at the same stage last year. Conversely, soybean inspections now stand at 28.06 million metric tons, down from 39.12 million metric tons in 2025. Wheat assessments have also improved, totaling 19.47 million metric tons compared to 16.4 million metric tons last year.
3. Big Weather Variety Across the U.S.
The National Weather Service (NWS) predicts predominantly dry conditions with a chance of snow across the Corn Belt. A light snow system is expected to traverse the northern Plains on Tuesday, extending into the upper Midwest by Wednesday. The West may experience a heatwave, while the Deep South faces record low temperatures.
The Northeast anticipates the exit of a deep cyclone and potent cold front. The NWS commented, "This system will continue to impact New England, bringing gusty winds and brief heavy downpours. As the cyclone moves into eastern Canada, strong winds will persist into Tuesday night, followed by a more tranquil weather pattern across much of the U.S."
