In 2025, U.S. corn growers achieved record production, according to a new study by the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA). Growers produced 17.02 billion bushels on 98.8 million acres (about 40 million hectares), valued at $70.1 billion – an increase of more than 8% from 2024.
With a record yield of 186.5 bushels per acre and the highest planted acreage since 1933, production surpassed the previous high by more than 14%.
Although corn prices were lower than in 2024, the significant increase in production volume more than compensated, “leading to a greater value flowing through the broader economy.”
The NCGA study notes that U.S. corn growers support local communities and deliver benefits that extend to all 50 U.S. states and more than 500 different industries nationwide.
Economic Contribution Highlights
In 2025, the U.S. corn industry:
- Contributed an estimated $142 billion to the U.S. economy (up from $123 billion in 2024)
- Added $56 billion to the U.S. GDP
- Supported more than 482,000 jobs (compared to 440,000 in 2024)
- Generated $32 billion in wages
NCGA economist Gretchen Kuck, who authored the study, said, “Put a simpler way, every bushel of corn produced in the United States in 2025 contributed an associated $8.34 in economic activity to the broader U.S. economy.”
Study Methodology
The NCGA study calculated how corn farming affects the U.S. economy by using IMPLAN modeling software and data from USDA’s National Statistics Service. It estimates each state’s contributions and includes both direct impacts and broader ripple effects through related industries and household spending. However, the study does not account for downstream linkages of corn production, such as value-added processing, milling or end uses of corn such as exports or livestock feeding.