A new report from CoBank warns that this year’s record grain harvest will bring major storage challenges across the U.S., with capacity falling short by an estimated 73 million bushels compared to 2024.
Elevators are expected to face a shortage of 1.4 billion bushels of storage in top corn-producing states, forcing more reliance on ground piles and emergency storage. Farmers are also being urged to store soybeans on their farms when possible, as trade tensions with China continue to disrupt exports.
Adding to the strain, grain movement is being hampered by costly rail freight rates and falling Mississippi River levels, which have triggered barge draft restrictions and shipment delays. Despite these logistical hurdles, U.S. corn and wheat exports are seeing strong demand due to lower prices and a weaker dollar, with sales up 94% and 41% from last year, However, soybean exports remain sharply lower, down more than 50%.
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