Nearby prices are unchanged to up 25 cents with new crop prices down 10 cents to unchanged this week at the crush plants. Next week expect a lot of market chatter about projected U.S. planted acreage. USDA releases its first official planted acreage estimates in the March Prospective Plantings Report on Tuesday March 31. The March numbers typically change following planting, but it is the first look at acres for traders. Changes could be in store in the June 30 Acreage Report depending on how planting goes this spring. A cool and wet spring has the potential to throw off planting progress and rotations. Without favorable planting weather across the Northern and High Plains states in the coming weeks acreage shifts could occur. As a result, planted acres are likely to remain a moving target for the next couple months leading to market volatility. Traders are hoping for an ideal growing season with good yields to restock domestic supplies. As always, mother nature has the final say in what gets planted. Market analysts are forecasting planted area about 45 million acres for wheat (down from 45.3 million acres in 2025), 94 million acres for corn (down from 98.8 million acres) and 85 million acres for soybeans (up from 81.2 million acres). Traders will use the USDA acreage estimates as the starting point for supply and demand estimates for the 2026/27 marketing year. Traders will also focus on South American oilseed production prospects.
ADM Enderlin, Cargill West Fargo and Colorado Mills crush plants are offering 2026 new crop cash and Act of God (AOG) High Oleic contracts. ADM is at $23.10 cash and $22.60 AOG. Cargill is at $23.00 cash and 22.50 AOG. Colorado Mills is at $22.20 AOG. Something else to consider is the oil premiums that crush plants pay on sunflowers. Sunflower is the only oilseed that pays premiums for oil content above 40%. Considering oil premiums that are offered at the crush plants on oil content above 40% at a rate of 2% price premium for each 1% of oil above 40%; this pushes a contract with 45% oil content gross return 10% higher per cwt. The AOG $22.50 contract increases to $24.75 and the cash $23.10 contract moves up to $25.40.
Cargill West Fargo is also offering an early harvest 2026 new crop price of $24.25 cash and $23.75 AOG with delivery by October 9.
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