Farmers hoping for rent relief in 2027 may face a tough reality: land values are holding firm, and cash rents are slow to follow margins lower.

Tapped by Secretary Rollins, Kip Tom is building a faster, satellite-driven replacement for NASS’s aging survey system, one he says could turn monthly reports into biweekly ones by year’s end for multiple crops.

August 11, 2026

Analysts forecast corn yields at 182.4 bu/acre and soybeans at 52.9 bu/acre in USDA’s first survey-based crop production report, with total corn production seen at 15.934 billion bushels versus last year’s 17.021 billion. Private estimates range widely as weather stress takes a toll in some areas.

Flash sales of soybeans and meal may offer support

Know the two numbers that matter before the September deadline.