# Drought Status Update for the Midwest | September 4, 2025 | Drought.gov

> NIDIS reported rapid expansion of abnormally dry and moderate-to-severe drought across Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, with dry conditions in central Michigan since fall 2024. Low Ohio River flows led the U.S. Coast Guard to impose tow width and weight restrictions on the Mississippi south of Cairo, Illinois. Drought is expected to persist through September and spread further across the central Midwest.

- Date: 2025-09-04 · published 2025-09-04T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/13054-drought-status-update-for-the-midwest-september-4-2025-drought-gov
- Commodities: [Barge Freight (St. Louis)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/BARGE.md), [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md), [Soybeans](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SOY.md)

## Why it matters

Low river levels restrict barge loads and raise freight costs for moving grain and meal down the Mississippi, which can widen basis and weigh on Midwest cash prices while supporting barge freight. Drought stress during pod-fill also threatens soybean and corn yields in the region.

## Read by commodity

- SOY: bullish ▲
- CORN: bullish ▲
- BARGE: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2021-12-14 | [Somalia: Joint Market and Supply Chain Update, 05th December, 2021 — 12th December, 2021 - Somalia \| ReliefWeb](https://feedsoft.ai/events/43679-somalia-joint-market-and-supply-chain-update-05th-december-2021-12th-december.md) | -3.7% | +1.9% |
| CORN | 2025-02-24 | [UPDATE/MM 869-303 LMR/GENERAL/SEC LMR BNM 0009-25 UPDATE-1](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16472-update-mm-869-303-lmr-general-sec-lmr-bnm-0009-25-update-1.md) | -7.4% | -1.4% |
| CORN | 2024-03-25 | [High freight could open door for US corn to China \| Latest Market News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/14763-high-freight-could-open-door-for-us-corn-to-china-latest-market-news.md) | -4.9% | -6.9% |
| CORN | 2021-12-29 | [Azov and Black Sea Basin Throughput in November 2021: Foodstuffs Up - Supply Chain Council of European Union \| Scceu.org](https://feedsoft.ai/events/14523-azov-and-black-sea-basin-throughput-in-november-2021-foodstuffs-up-supply-chain.md) | +2.9% | +3.8% |
| CORN | 2022-12-23 | [Export Of Agricultural Products Through ‘Grain Corridor’ Down 22% In 1 Week » The Center for Transport Strategies](https://feedsoft.ai/events/14431-export-of-agricultural-products-through-grain-corridor-down-22-in-1-week-the.md) | +2.1% | +2.2% |
| SOY | 2025-02-24 | [UPDATE/MM 869-303 LMR/GENERAL/SEC LMR BNM 0009-25 UPDATE-1](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16472-update-mm-869-303-lmr-general-sec-lmr-bnm-0009-25-update-1.md) | -2.7% | -2.9% |
| SOY | 2020-10-29 | [Door opens for Canadian wheat \| The Western Producer](https://feedsoft.ai/events/50681-door-opens-for-canadian-wheat-the-western-producer.md) | +2.1% | +12.0% |
| SOY | 2020-03-20 | [Weekly Market Wrap-Up - March 20, 2020 - The Andersons Trade Group](https://feedsoft.ai/events/6109-weekly-market-wrap-up-march-20-2020-the-andersons-trade-group.md) | +4.4% | -1.3% |

## Sources

- drought.gov: https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates/drought-status-update-midwest-2025-09-04

---
Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.