03/12/2026
🌽 What If Your Grain Bin Paid You Every Year?
One of the most reliable signals in the grain market is the December to March corn carry on the Chicago Board of Trade.
Many years, March corn trades higher than December corn, meaning the market is literally paying farmers to store grain instead of selling at harvest.
Here’s what the Dec → March corn spread has roughly looked like over the past 5 seasons:
Crop Year Dec Corn March Corn Market Carry
2020-21 $4.20 $4.35 +15¢
2021-22 $5.35 $5.55 +20¢
2022-23 $6.55 $6.75 +20¢
2023-24 $4.85 $5.00 +15¢
2024-25 $4.65 $4.78 +13¢
📊 5-Year Average Carry: ~16¢ per bushel
Now think about what that means for a farm storing 100,000 bushels of corn:
• 10¢ carry = $10,000
• 15¢ carry = $15,000
• 20¢ carry = $20,000
And that’s just from one seasonal spread.
Why Storage Matters Even MORE in Tough Markets
When prices are high, storage is nice.
But when markets are tight or volatile…
Grain storage becomes a survival tool.
It allows you to:
✔ Avoid harvest price pressure
✔ Capture seasonal carry
✔ Wait for basis improvement
✔ Improve harvest efficiency
✔ Control your marketing strategy
Instead of selling when everyone else is selling, you choose when to move your grain.
Turn Your Farm Into Its Own Elevator
A Sukup grain bin system isn’t just steel.
It’s marketing power.
With Sukup grain bins, dryers, and handling equipment installed by S & S Metal Works / SIS Group, you gain:
🌾 On-farm marketing control
📈 More opportunities to capture market carry
⚙ Reliable drying and storage technology
💰 Long-term ROI year after year
In challenging markets, the farms that stay profitable are often the ones that own their storage and control their grain.
📞 Thinking about adding grain storage this year? Contact Jason (252) 999-2932 or Ryder (252) 714-9520 with S & S Metal Works / SIS Group to discuss Sukup grain storage solutions built for your operation.