Greetings from the CEO - November
Nov 05, 2025
The 2025 crop season has given way to exceptional fall harvest conditions. As I write this article, most of the soybean harvest is complete, and the corn harvest is well underway. Expectations are high for decent yields, low moisture, and excellent quality corn to be harvested.
The government shutdown has slowed the release of updated statistics, but the most recent Crop Production Report from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) shows corn production is up. Corn production is up 13% from last year, forecast at 16.8 billion bushels. As a result, area planted to corn is estimated at 98.7 million acres, up from the previous estimate. The average U.S. corn yield is forecast at 186.7 bushels per acre, down 2.1 bushels from last month’s forecast, but up 7.4 bushels from last year. NASS forecasts record high yields in Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Acres planted to corn, at 98.7 million, are up 9% from 2024. As of Aug. 31, 69% of this year’s corn crop was reported in good to excellent condition, four percentage points above the same time last year. As of mid-October 2025, a significant portion of the US corn crop had already been harvested, with one poll estimating that around 72% was complete by the week ending October 26. In Wisconsin, a published crop report showed that the corn crop was rated 24% excellent, 57% good, 14% fair, 4% poor, and 1% very poor.
In the first seven months of 2025, U.S. fuel ethanol exports averaged 138,000 barrels per day (b/d)—the highest January through July average in our data, which goes back to 2010, and 9% more than 2024’s annual record of fuel ethanol exports. Growing international demand and a slight increase in production capacity are driving the high fuel ethanol exports this year. The EIA expects fuel ethanol production to average 1.05 million b/d in both 2025 and 2026, slightly below the 1.06 million b/d estimated for 2024. Breaking the forecast down by quarter, production in 2025 is expected to stay at 1.03 million b/d during the second and third quarters, then rise to 1.05 million b/d in the final quarter. For 2026, the agency projects production to begin at 1.06 million b/d in the first quarter, then fall slightly to 1.04 million b/d in the second quarter, dip further to 1.03 million b/d in the third quarter, and return to 1.06 million b/d by year-end. The EIA also kept its forecast for net fuel ethanol imports unchanged at -130,000 b/d for both 2025 and 2026, the same as in 2024, indicating that exports are expected to continue exceeding imports. Fuel ethanol blending is expected to remain steady at 930,000 b/d in 2025. However, the agency slightly lowered its forecast for 2026 blending to 920,000 b/d, down from last month’s estimate of 930,000. Last year, the blending rate was also 930,000 barrels per day.
The United Ethanol team has done a great job in running the plant. We are fortunate to have this strong team working for United Ethanol. I am thankful for their dedication and professionalism, which helps make the plant efficient and successful.
Have a safe harvest season, and let’s count our blessings as we prepare for Thanksgiving.
Cooperative Yours,
David Cramer
President and Chief Executive Officer