Searching for grain prices today can mean a few different things: an exchange-traded futures quote, a local cash bid, or the amount you can actually net after delivery costs. Those prices are connected, but they are not the same.
The free MMM Market Center gives farmers a place to follow corn, soybean and other commodity quotes, charts, news, reports and weather. Quotes are delayed 10 minutes. Access is free for the first year, with no credit card required.
What grain price are you looking at?
- Futures price: The exchange-traded price for a specific commodity and delivery month. It is a market reference, not automatically the price a farmer will receive.
- Cash bid: A buyer’s offer for grain delivered to a particular location under specific terms. Bids can vary by buyer, delivery period, quality and local supply and demand.
- Basis: The difference between a local cash price and the relevant futures price. It reflects local conditions such as nearby supply, demand, transport and storage.
That distinction matters: futures can move while local basis changes differently. The University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension explains how basis connects local cash bids to futures and why basis varies by location and time. Read its grain basis guide.
Where to check grain prices today
For a futures-market reference, use a platform that identifies the commodity and contract month, and check the quote’s timestamp and delay. The MMM Market Center provides 10-minute delayed commodity quotes, watchlists and charts, along with market news, reports and weather. A delayed quote can help you monitor the market. It is not a live local cash bid or a guaranteed offer from a grain buyer.
For the cash bid at a location where you could deliver, check directly with that elevator, processor or other buyer. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service also publishes grain market reports with bids and price information for covered areas. Report coverage and timing vary, so check the report’s location, delivery period and date before comparing prices. Browse USDA grain market news.
How to compare a quote with your farm’s price
- Confirm the commodity and futures delivery month shown in the quote.
- Get the local buyer’s cash bid for your location, quality and delivery window.
- Compare that bid with the relevant futures price and note the basis. A nearby futures contract may not match your delivery date.
- Include costs that affect your net return, such as hauling, drying, shrink, storage, interest and contract fees.
- Record the date and time. Prices change, and old screenshots or copied quotes become misleading quickly.
There is no single grain price that applies to every farm. The local bid, delivery terms, quality and cost of getting grain to market affect the price available to you.
Use market quotes as one part of a plan
A price screen helps show what the market is doing. By itself, it cannot tell you whether to sell, store, hedge or wait. That decision depends on your cost of production, expected bushels, cash-flow needs, storage capacity, delivery options and tolerance for price risk.
Use the free Market Center to follow delayed quotes and related market information on desktop or mobile. The platform is free for one year, with no credit card required. Request access. A Midwest Market Management representative will help you get set up.
For help considering a broader marketing plan, see Midwest Market Management’s grain marketing services. Market information is for general education and reference, not individualized financial advice. Futures and options involve substantial risk.