Under Pressure: The Size and Timing of the Harvest Low in Corn Basis

US corn harvest-time corn basis bottoms in mid-October, coinciding with the peak of harvest activity. Average basis at the harvest-time low is about 11 cents below late-November levels. State-level lows average 16 cents, deepest in Missouri, Indiana and Illinois, and more loosely track local harvest progress. Avoiding sales at the harvest will realize gains on average over time, though futures moves and other costs may swamp basis gains.

• Source: https://farmdocdaily.illinois.edu/2026/09/under-pressure-the-size-and-timing-of-the-harvest-low-in-corn-basis.html