WASDE on Hold: Understanding the Impact on Agriculture

The USDA’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report is one of the most closely watched data releases in agriculture. It shapes expectations on supply, demand, and trade, and provides a common reference point for everyone from grain originators to ag retailers.

With the October 2025 report likely canceled during the government shutdown, the industry is left without its usual benchmark. That doesn’t mean the market stops, but it does mean participants must adjust.

“DTN’s analysts and reporters continue to look for the clues that can influence market prices and share them throughout the day with our customers and readers,” said Greg Horstmeier, DTN Editor-in-Chief. “We redouble those efforts in times of information blackouts, such as we’re experiencing now with this government shutdown in the middle of the 2025 harvest season.”

 

Two areas to watch closely:

• Price discovery: Without WASDE, grain originators and merchandisers rely more on private forecasts and futures to guide cash bids and manage basis.
• Risk management: Volatility often increases when widely recognized benchmarks are missing, making grain sales and hedging decisions more complex.

The pause in USDA data highlights the importance of diverse market-intelligence sources. Futures activity, global trade flows, and weather-driven production models continue to provide valuable signals.

At DTN, our analysts monitor these factors daily, providing context and clarity even when government reports are delayed. Agriculture doesn’t pause, and neither does our commitment to helping the industry make informed decisions.

 

Subscribers can find our detailed daily analysis and commentary in the Markets section within their online or satellite product. Daily updates are also available through our Market Comment Video, found here.

Continue the conversation at www.dtn.com/agriculture.