— Ben Buie, Vice President of Grain
The numbers this year demand attention. As of December 1, 2025, the United States had 1.2 billion more bushels of corn in storage compared to December 2024. Minnesota led the nation in year-over-year increases, with nearly 210 million additional bushels stored across the state.
Of that total:
- 180 million more bushels are sitting on farms
- Nearly 30 million more bushels are in commercial storage
To put that into perspective, Minnesota alone has enough additional corn in storage this year to load approximately 475 unit trains. That is a significant amount of grain that still needs to move.
The conflict in Iran has led to a large rally in energy markets. While the fundamental picture for grains has not changed, corn and soybeans have raillied along with crude oil and fuel. This can complicate the grain markets and makes having a marketing plan and communicating with your grain marketing team more important than ever.
What That Means for You
With record production and record on-farm storage, the burden of supply, especially in corn, is real. When large stocks carry into summer, it can become more difficult to find homes for grain, manage basis risk, and avoid marketing at seasonal lows.
Soybeans, while also seeing record yields in Minnesota, do not carry the same supply pressure. Lower acres and solid demand from processors and export markets have helped keep beans in a more balanced position. Corn, however, requires a proactive approach.
If this feels like the lower end of the agricultural cycle, that’s because historically large supplies tend to weigh on markets. In years like this, knowing your cost of production and sticking to a disciplined marketing plan is critical.
Build Your Plan
Marketing starts with a conversation. Our grain marketers at every location work with you to understand your goals, storage situation, and risk tolerance.
From basic cash sales and basis contracts to HTAs, accumulators, and structured programs like our Daily Pricing Program, we tailor strategies to your farm. Being proactive today can create more flexibility later.
We’re Ready to Move Grain
During last fall’s record crop, our team transferred over 800 loads to keep facilities open and grain moving. Only two locations were contract-only (and only for one day each) during one of the largest harvests on record.
In Madelia, we commissioned a new bulk weigher system and loaded the first train in November, replacing equipment that had been in place for nearly 30 years. That investment positions us to handle grain efficiently for decades to come.
Let’s Get Ahead of It
A record supply year requires discipline, planning, and partnership.
Reach out to your local Crystal Valley grain marketer to discuss your marketing strategy and options for on-farm grain pickup. With this much corn in storage, early planning can make all the difference.