# USDA chief economist: Economic headwinds to ease slightly in 2026 | Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc.

> USDA Chief Economist Justin Benavidez, at the Agricultural Outlook Forum, forecast modest price gains for 2026 with corn, soybeans and wheat each rising about 10 cents per bushel. He also said input costs for seed, fertilizer and chemicals are expected to fall slightly after inflation adjustment.

- Date: 2026-02-19 · published 2026-02-19T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: report · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/20622-usda-chief-economist-economic-headwinds-to-ease-slightly-in-2026-agri-pulse
- Commodities: [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md), [Soybeans](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SOY.md), [Wheat (SRW)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/WHEAT.md)

## Why it matters

A modest price rise and easing input costs would slightly improve producer margins, though the forecast is a general outlook rather than a supply shock.

## Read by commodity

- SOY: bullish ▲
- CORN: bullish ▲
- WHEAT: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2021-02-05 | [US sets new record for ag exports to China in 2020 \| 2021-02-05  \| Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc.](https://feedsoft.ai/events/48476-us-sets-new-record-for-ag-exports-to-china-in-2020-2021-02-05-agri-pulse.md) | -2.2% | -4.1% |
| CORN | 2022-05-12 | [USDA warns on corn, winter wheat crops due to weather \| 2022-05-12 \| Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc.](https://feedsoft.ai/events/13363-usda-warns-on-corn-winter-wheat-crops-due-to-weather-2022-05-12-agri-pulse.md) | -0.3% | -0.9% |
| CORN | 2020-07-10 | [USDA holds corn and soybean yields steady in latest WASDE \| 2020-07-10  \| Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc.](https://feedsoft.ai/events/52074-usda-holds-corn-and-soybean-yields-steady-in-latest-wasde-2020-07-10-agri-pulse.md) | -4.9% | -7.5% |
| CORN | 2023-12-08 | [USDA trims forecast for soybean, wheat supplies \| Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc.](https://feedsoft.ai/events/32633-usda-trims-forecast-for-soybean-wheat-supplies-agri-pulse-communications-inc.md) | -2.7% | -0.3% |
| CORN | 2021-08-12 | [USDA lowers corn, soybean yield estimates due to drought \| 2021-08-12  \| Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc.](https://feedsoft.ai/events/45406-usda-lowers-corn-soybean-yield-estimates-due-to-drought-2021-08-12-agri-pulse.md) | +0.7% | -7.7% |
| SOY | 2023-05-31 | [USDA lowers ag trade forecast for FY 2023 \| Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc.](https://feedsoft.ai/events/5571-usda-lowers-ag-trade-forecast-for-fy-2023-agri-pulse-communications-inc.md) | +4.4% | +11.9% |
| SOY | 2021-02-05 | [US sets new record for ag exports to China in 2020 \| 2021-02-05  \| Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc.](https://feedsoft.ai/events/48476-us-sets-new-record-for-ag-exports-to-china-in-2020-2021-02-05-agri-pulse.md) | -0.4% | +4.5% |
| SOY | 2023-12-08 | [USDA trims forecast for soybean, wheat supplies \| Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc.](https://feedsoft.ai/events/32633-usda-trims-forecast-for-soybean-wheat-supplies-agri-pulse-communications-inc.md) | +0.2% | -5.5% |

## Sources

- agri-pulse.com: https://www.agri-pulse.com/articles/24245-usda-chief-economist-economic-headwinds-to-ease-slightly-in-2026

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