Weekly Cash Comments

Basis levels firmed by 1.9 cents a bushel on beans across the US this week while corn was up marginally on a 0.3 cent improvement.

High water along the rivers continues to escalate barge rates. This week saw barge rates take another step higher, with rates trading at 40 cents a bushel more than normal at this time of year and near the harvest-time peaks we normally see in the fall. Both corn and soy basis was off about 5 cents a bushel at river terminals this week, in spite of strong Gulf gains of 10 and 20 cents a bushel for corn and beans, respectively.

For soybeans, they got some relief as crush facilities were higher on the week, bolstering their basis by 3.2 cents a bushel on average. 40% of the plants had a nickel to dime improvement on the week. Strong crush margins should be the norm for the next 6 months which should keep soy plants bidding aggressively for beans. As for corn plants, they improved by 0.8 cents a bushel. Gains by NE ethanol plants were 2 cents a bushel but ECB states of IN/OH saw more limited gains of only 1-cent a bushel.

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—Kevin McNew