Monday Mycotoxin & Crop Report for September 28, 2026

Welcome to this week’s edition of the Monday Mycotoxin & Crop Report!

Welcome to this week’s addition to the Monday Mycotoxin & Crop Report! This report serves as a bi-weekly update for crop conditions, weather outlook, and mycotoxin levels. Information is sourced from the USDA, NIDIS, and US Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative.

As the season progresses, we will continue to monitor weather conditions for likelihood of toxin contamination, and report on verified levels of toxin from the field.

1. Winter wheat harvest has concluded.
2. Corn harvest reached 13%, while 58% of the crop is mature and 92% has reached the dent stage. Crop condition remained at 57% good-to-excellent.
3. Spring wheat harvest reached 96%, and barley harvest reached 98%, both at or above historical averages.
4. Winter wheat planting for the 2027 crop reached 17%, while emergence reached 2%.

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Weekly Weather Summary

Weather conditions varied across major agricultural regions. Temperatures averaged 6°F to 10°F above normal across portions of the central and southern Plains, while parts of the upper Mississippi Valley and Great Lakes were 2°F to 6°F below normal. Above-normal rainfall occurred across portions of the Rockies, northern Plains, upper Mississippi Valley, and Great Lakes, with some areas receiving more than double their normal precipitation. In contrast, much of the Delta, Southeast, and parts of the West remained drier than normal.

Recent weather has shifted mycotoxin risk by region. Persistent heat and dryness across the southern Plains and Delta continue to favor aflatoxin and fumonisin development in late-season corn. Meanwhile, excessive rainfall and field delays across portions of the Corn Belt, upper Midwest, and Great Lakes may extend localized DON and zearalenone risk where crops remain in the field. As harvest expands, grain quality testing and storage management become increasingly important.

Crop Progress & Condition Overview

• Winter Wheat – Planting of the 2027 winter wheat crop reached 17%, 2 percentage points behind last year and 4 percentage points behind the 5-year average. Emergence reached 2%, also trailing both last year and the 5-year average. Washington remains the most advanced state, with 55% of intended acreage planted.
  
  DON levels have been observed in the following states:
  • Michigan: 1 ppm
  • Illinois: 2 ppm
  • Ohio and West Virginia: 3 ppm

• Corn – Corn development remains ahead of average. By September 20, 92% of the crop had reached the dent stage, 58% was mature, and 13% had been harvested. National condition ratings remained at 57% good-to-excellent, 9 percentage points below the same time last year. Iowa reported 76% of corn in good-to-excellent condition.
  
  The following states have pockets of corn that are behind the national average of very poor and poor conditions: Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota and Texas.
  
  Risk remains elevated in drought-stressed areas of the southern Plains and Delta, where prolonged heat and below-normal moisture favor aflatoxin and fumonisin development. In contrast, portions of the Corn Belt and Great Lakes region received excessive rainfall that may slow harvest progress and increase the likelihood of localized DON concerns where ears remain exposed to wet conditions. We are receiving initial reports of DON in areas of Ontario and will continue to monitor as more information and confirmed levels are received.
  
  
  
• Spring Wheat – Spring wheat harvest reached 96%, matching both last year and the 5-year average. Harvest is at or above 95% completion in all major estimating states. Field risk continues to decline as harvest nears completion. However, portions of the northern Plains experienced above-normal precipitation during the reporting period, and grain quality should continue to be monitored in areas where harvest was delayed by wet conditions. Areas of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana are most elevated for DON risk.
  
  

• Barley – Barley harvest reached 98%, matching last year and running 2 percentage points ahead of the 5-year average. Harvest exceeded 95% completion in all reporting states.
  
  Rapid harvest progress should help limit additional field exposure to moisture-related quality issues. However, recent pockets of above-normal precipitation in portions of the northern Rockies and northern Plains may still create localized DON concerns where harvest has been delayed. Continued grain testing remains advisable in regions that experienced intermittent rainfall during the final stages of maturation.

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