The 2022 U.S. growing season was warm and dry from May to September, accelerating maturation and allowing for a timely harvest that contributed to the 2022 corn crop’s high overall quality according to the USGC Corn Export Cargo Quality Report.
The average aggregate quality of U.S. corn samples tested for the U.S. Grains Council’s (USGC’s) 2022/2023 Corn Export Cargo Quality Report released in the beginning of May was better than or equal to U.S. No. 2 on all grade factors.
The report is based on 430 export cargo samples collected from corn shipments undergoing federal inspection and grading processes at export terminals. It also provides information on grading, handling and how U.S. corn is moved and controlled through export channels.
The 2022 U.S. growing season was warm and dry from May to September, accelerating maturation and allowing for a timely harvest that contributed to the 2022 corn crop’s high overall quality.
Average test weight found by the analysis was higher than in 2021/2022 and the five-year average, with 93.3 percent of samples at or above the minimum requirements for U.S. No. 1 grade corn, indicating overall good quality. Chemical composition indicated an 8.7 percent protein concentration, higher than 2021/2022 and the five-year average. The exports had lower average stress cracks and higher average percent of whole kernels than in 2021/2022 and only two export samples tested below the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) action level for aflatoxins. All samples tested below advisory levels for deoxynivalenol (DON) or vomitoxin.