# Drought persists as top crop threat for 2025 | Market Focus | farmweeknow.com

> Lingering drought is a concern across much of the US, with the worst soil moisture deficits in the western Corn Belt and up to 73% of Illinois abnormally dry or worse. Winter wheat faces winterkill risk due to low snow cover. Low river levels on the Mississippi and Illinois are heading toward multi-month lows.

- Date: 2025-02-17 · published 2025-02-17T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: weather · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/13111-drought-persists-as-top-crop-threat-for-2025-market-focus-farmweeknow-com
- Commodities: [Wheat (HRW)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/KWHEAT.md), [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md), [Barge Freight (St. Louis)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/BARGE.md)

## Why it matters

Low river levels threaten barge logistics and drought threatens winter wheat output, both of which can lift freight costs and support grain prices.

## Read by commodity

- CORN: bullish ▲
- BARGE: bullish ▲
- KWHEAT: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| KWHEAT | 2018-03-13 | [Drought threat intensifies for U.S. Plains winter wheat crop](https://feedsoft.ai/events/66052-drought-threat-intensifies-for-u-s-plains-winter-wheat-crop.md) | -7.6% | +2.5% |
| KWHEAT | 2021-07-31 | [Wheat set for second monthly gain as drought cuts US yields - Markets - Business Recorder](https://feedsoft.ai/events/46098-wheat-set-for-second-monthly-gain-as-drought-cuts-us-yields-markets-business.md) | +4.8% | +5.8% |
| KWHEAT | 2021-07-23 | [Crop markets wake up to evolving drought disaster \| The Western Producer](https://feedsoft.ai/events/46115-crop-markets-wake-up-to-evolving-drought-disaster-the-western-producer.md) | +3.2% | +9.4% |
| KWHEAT | 2026-04-23 | [Wheat Futures Climb as Drought Hits Winter Crop - Daily Grain Highlights \| MarketScreener](https://feedsoft.ai/events/19769-wheat-futures-climb-as-drought-hits-winter-crop-daily-grain-highlights.md) | +8.2% | +9.6% |
| KWHEAT | 2021-05-10 | [Drought Status Update for the Northern Great Plains \| May 10, 2021 \| Drought.gov](https://feedsoft.ai/events/46942-drought-status-update-for-the-northern-great-plains-may-10-2021-drought-gov.md) | -10.4% | -13.4% |
| CORN | 2025-02-13 | [Snodgrass: Strong potential for summer drought exists \| General \| farmweeknow.com](https://feedsoft.ai/events/13113-snodgrass-strong-potential-for-summer-drought-exists-general-farmweeknow-com.md) | +1.7% | -6.8% |
| CORN | 2023-10-13 | [Drought affects crop marketing for producers - Brownfield Ag News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/33731-drought-affects-crop-marketing-for-producers-brownfield-ag-news.md) | +0.2% | -3.5% |
| CORN | 2020-10-16 | [Crop yields reveal impact of drought, derecho in parts of I states \| Crop Conditions \| farmweeknow.com](https://feedsoft.ai/events/50493-crop-yields-reveal-impact-of-drought-derecho-in-parts-of-i-states-crop.md) | +2.0% | +2.0% |

## Sources

- farmweeknow.com: https://www.farmweeknow.com/opinion/market_focus/drought-persists-as-top-crop-threat-for-2025/article_bb306a54-ea33-11ef-9fa9-9b1c5e88cfe5.html

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