Compare local elevator bids for corn, soybeans, and wheat near Lancaster, Lancaster County.
Lancaster County's agricultural density is unmatched east of the Mississippi — more farm output per acre than anywhere in the US outside Hawaii. Local corn and soybean demand from poultry integrators, dairy operations, and hog farms is intense and year-round. Export pricing via Philadelphia port or Baltimore's Fort McHenry terminal provides the basis reference. Bids here track mid-Atlantic feed demand more than Midwest export.
Cash bids for Lancaster area elevators are reported to USDA AMS through the Pennsylvania Daily Grain Report. GrainBrief pulls this data every morning at 6:00 AM CT. Sign up free to see the current bid and historical basis chart for Lancaster.
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Submit Your BidGrain basis is the difference between the local elevator cash bid and the nearby CBOT futures contract. For Lancaster, Lancaster County, the basis reflects transportation costs to export terminals, local supply and demand balance, and elevator margin.
A strengthening basis (moving toward zero or positive) means local demand is increasing relative to futures — elevators are bidding more aggressively for your grain. A weakening basis means local supply is ample or export demand has softened.
Factors that affect Lancaster area basis include: proximity to river export terminals, local processor demand (ethanol, crush, livestock feeding), seasonal harvest pressure, and freight costs from this location to terminal markets.
| Basis Signal | What It Means | Marketing Implication |
|---|---|---|
| Basis narrows (strengthens) | Local demand exceeding local supply; elevator bidding up | Good time to sell — local pricing is strong relative to futures |
| Basis widens (weakens) | Local supply ample; elevator has less urgency to buy | Consider storing if carry is positive on futures — wait for demand signal |
| Basis vs. 5-yr average | Compare current basis to historical seasonal pattern | If current basis is stronger than average, seasonal advantage may not persist |
GrainBrief pulls daily grain cash bid data from USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) via their MARS API. The Pennsylvania Daily Grain Report covers elevator bids reported throughout the state each morning. This is the same underlying data used by DTN, Barchart, and other commercial grain data providers.
GrainBrief ingests USDA AMS data daily at 6:00 AM CT. USDA typically publishes Pennsylvania grain bids between 9:00 AM and noon local time. Create a free account to get email alerts when new bids are posted.
Yes — use the What's Your Bid? form to anonymously submit your local elevator's cash bid. Your submission helps other farmers in Lancaster County and surrounding areas benchmark whether they're getting a competitive price. No sign-in required and your IP address is never stored.
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