USGC 2021 Corn Harvest Quality Report: Higher Average Test Weight, Lower Moisture And Damage

The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) released this week the 2021/2022 Corn Harvest Quality Report based on 610 samples taken from defined areas within 12 of the top corn-producing and exporting states that revealed this year’s U.S. corn crop has a higher average test weight and lower total damage and stress cracks compared with the previous five crops.

The 2021 crop was planted earlier than average and experienced a mostly warm growing season resulting in projections that it will be the second-largest U.S. corn crop on record at 281.49 million metric tons (15,019 million bushels). This ample supply allows the United States to remain the world’s leading corn exporter and accounts for an estimated 31.4 percent of global corn exports during the marketing year.

“The Council’s mission is one of developing markets, enabling trade and improving lives, and as part of our mission, we are pleased to offer this report as a service to our trading partners around the world,” said USGC Chairman Chad Willis. “We are confident in the quality of this year’s crop and hope this report provides timely insight into the specifics of it.”

The 11th edition of the report showed the 2021 crop was planted earlier than average and experienced a mostly warm growing season. Overall, 65 percent of the crop rated as good or excellent condition, nearing record high yields.

The average aggregate quality of the representative samples tested was better than the grade factor requirements for U.S. No. 1 grade. The report also showed that 90 percent of the samples met the grade factor requirements for U.S. No. 1 grade and 98 percent met the grade factor requirements for U.S. No. 2.

This year’s crop highlights lower average broken corn and foreign material (BCFM) than the five-year average; lower average total damage than the five-year average; and a similar average moisture content compared to the five-year average. The crop also showed lower-than-average protein concentration than the five-year average; lower average stress cracks than 2020 and the five-year average; and a similar average 100-kernel weight compared to the five-year average.

Nearly 99 percent of the samples tested below the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) action level for aflatoxins. A full 100 percent of the samples tested below the 5.0 parts per million FDA advisory level for deoxynivalenol (DON) or vomitoxin. Of the samples tested for fumonisin, 97.2 percent tested below the FDA’s strictest guidance level of 5.0 parts per million.

The 2021/2022 U.S. corn crop is expected to be the second largest (382.6 million metric tons/15,062 million bushels) on record and has the highest average yield on record (11.11 metric tons/hectare or 177 bushels per acre), according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate (WASDE).

Rollout events by Council representatives are set to showcase the quality of this year’s crop and answer questions from potential buyers – the first of which will take place virtually in North Asia and include buyers from Japan, Korea and Taiwan. Presentations of the report will continue through the beginning of 2022, aiming to offer participants clear expectations regarding the quality of corn for this marketing year.