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March 23, 2026 |
Position yourself for post-Planting Intentions report success in the grain markets
Ag Marketing IQ: Corn and soybean futures rose on crude oil gains and geopolitical tensions. Coming into next week’s USDA reports, farmers face volatile markets and shifting price ratios.
At a Glance
- Corn and soybean futures rally alongside crude oil
- Price ratios may shift acreage toward soybeans this spring
- March 31 reports could sharply move commodity markets
For the second consecutive year, corn futures posted a solid bounce during the crop insurance price discovery period in February. Soybeans joined the rally this year as well, a contrast from 2024 when bean futures largely stayed flat to lower during that same window. Adding fuel to the fire, both markets have continued to climb alongside crude oil since hostilities escalated in Iran.
With growing concern about fertilizer supplies and petroleum shipments disrupted by reduced vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the question many farmers have is whether these developments will complicate U.S. Spring acreage plans — especially with fieldwork potentially just 45 days away for much of the Corn Belt.
