Corn and Soybean Cost of Production in Brazil and the United States

Constanza Valdes, Jeffrey Gillespie, Daniel Bonin and Sara Scott

No 413178, Economic Information Bulletin from United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service

Abstract: This study compares corn and soybean production costs and returns between Brazil and the United States. It centers on farm-level production costs for the 2023–25 period, comparing input usage and farm practices. Prices received by farmers and average yields for each crop in each country are analyzed to calculate producer returns. The comparison is situated within the broader context of the two countries’ importance in global markets for these crops. Brazil and the United States collectively accounted for 58 and 83 percent of global trade in corn and soybeans in marketing year 2025/26, respectively. Brazil has emerged as a major competitor to the United States, driven by expansion of soybean production and double cropping systems—particularly second-crop corn following soybeans—which has reshaped global export patterns. This study’s findings highlight a range of factors that influence production costs and returns of these countries for corn and soybeans, such as production practices and technological advancements, and examines the differences. The roles of Government policies, infrastructure developments, and access to global markets are also discussed.

Keywords: Agricultural and Food Policy; Crop Production/Industries; Demand and Price Analysis; International Relations/Trade; Labor and Human Capital; Land Economics/Use; Production Economics; Productivity Analysis; Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies; Resource/Energy Economics and Policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 66
Date: 2026-10
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:uersib:413178

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.413178

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