Every year, the U.S. Grains Council provides a snapshot of the quality of that year's U.S. corn crop to represent its quality to foreign buyers. The 2023-24 U.S. Corn Export Cargo Quality Report highlights the continued high-quality product produced by the U.S. agriculture industry.
Growing season conditions
- Timely planting: Crops planted promptly.
- Uneven emergence: Crop emergence was uneven.
- Scarce rain at pollination: Minimal rain during pollination.
- Heat and drought: Intense heat and drought during grain filling.
- Rapid dry-down: Quick drying period for a timely harvest.
Quality highlights
- Test weight: 58.1 pounds/bushel (74.8 kilograms per hectoliter), higher than 2022-23 and the five-year average.
- Broken corn and foreign material: 2.5%, lower than 2022-23 and the five-year average.
- Total damage: 1.7%, lower than 2022-23 and the five-year average.
- Heat damage: 0.0%, same as 2022-23 and the five-year average.
Chemical composition
- Protein: 8.9%, higher than 2022-23 and the five-year average.
- Starch: 71.8%, lower than 2022-23 and the five-year average.
- Oil: 3.9%, same as 2022-23 but lower than the five-year average.
Physical factors
- Stress cracks: 16.3%, higher than 2022-23 and the five-year average.
- 100-kernel weight: 36.72 grams, higher than 2022-23 and the five-year average.
- Kernel volume: 0.28 cubic centimeters, higher than 2022-23.
- True density: 1.292 grams per cubic centimeter, higher than 2022-23 and the five-year average.
- Whole kernels: 88%, higher than 2022-23 and the five-year average.
- Hard endosperm: 86%, higher than 2022-23 and the five-year average.
Mycotoxins
- Aflatoxin: All samples below FDA action level of 20.0 parts per billion.
- DON: All samples below FDA advisory level of 5.0 parts per million.
- Fumonisin: 97.2% of samples below FDA guidance level of 5.0 parts per million.
