USDA Corn Acreage Revisions Spark Market Distrust Amid Staff Cuts; NASS to Review Processes

USDA's reliability is under fire after sharply upward revisions to 2025 corn harvested acres, sending corn futures down 5.4% and weighing on already-struggling prices. The Jan 31 final estimate of 91.3 million harvested acres, up 5.2% from June, contrasts with a 95.2 million June plantings estimate and a 98.8 million September figure. Deep staff reductions—Farm Service Agency lost 24%, National Agricultural Statistics Service 34%—are cited as contributing to delayed and less accurate data. USDA's internal review, announced by NASS official Lance Honig, will assess procedures and explore improving harvested acreage estimates with less reliance on farmer surveys. The agency's reputation is further strained by declining farmer survey participation and the Jan 31 miss, which raised concerns about data quality and risk management for traders and manufacturers.