WASHINGTON, DC, US — US corn samples tested for the US Grains Council’s (USGC) 2023-24 Corn Export Cargo Quality Report revealed a crop that withstood challenging weather conditions to emerge with an average aggregate quality better than or equal to US No. 2 on all grade factors, an improvement on the five-year average, the USGC said.

The report released this week is based on 433 yellow commodity corn samples collected from export shipments as they underwent inspection and grading processes performed by the Federal Grain Inspection Service or other licensed inspectors.

The 2023 US growing season experienced low rainfall during the pollination period followed by extended periods of heat and drought, but a rapid maturation period ensured a timely harvest and contributed to the 2023 corn crop’s high overall quality.

Average test weight, which came in at 58.1 pounds per bushel, was higher than in 2022-23 and the five-year average, according to the report. Chemical analysis indicated an 8.9% protein concentration, up from 8.7% last year and above the five-year average. All samples tested below the US Food and Drug Administration action level for aflatoxins and deoxynivalenol.

“The Council is committed to furthering global food security and mutual economic benefit through trade,” said Brent Boydston, chairman of the USGC. “In doing so, it offers this report to assist buyers in making well-informed decisions by providing reliable and timely information about the quality of US corn destined for export.”

The export cargo quality report is a companion to the 2023-24 Corn Harvest Quality Report, published last fall. The new report provides information about the quality of the most recent US corn crop at harvest as it enters the international merchandising channels.

The USGC said it will roll out the latest results in a series of crop quality seminars in the coming months, including events in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and South Korea, which help establish clear expectations with buyers and end users regarding the quality of corn this marketing year.