Farm Raw Product Wholesalers

The 3,399 farm raw product wholesalers in the US purchase grain, crops, and livestock from area farms, ranches, and breeders, then aggregate the products or animals and sell in larger volumes to slaughterhouses, grain mills, poultry farms, yarn and textile manufacturers (cotton, wool), food manufacturers, exporters, landscaping firms and builders (sod), biofuel producers and other manufacturers and wholesalers.

Trade Restrictions Limit Markets

Trade restrictions on exports limit market access and make exports more expensive for foreign customers.

Volatile Commodity Prices

Farm commodity prices have declined sharply from their peak levels following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Sep 23, 2026 - Grain Prices Rally

• The late summer rally in grain prices is improving farm finances and could lead to more marketing activity for farm raw product wholesalers, Progressive Farmer reports. Higher corn, soybean, and wheat prices are allowing some farmers to lock in profitable margins after months of financial pressure. One Iowa farmer said the rally prompted him to market more of his new crop than usual rather than risk prices falling again. For grain wholesalers and elevators, increased farmer selling could boost near-term supplies, handling volumes, and merchandising opportunities as harvest approaches. However, high fertilizer and diesel costs continue to squeeze farm margins, which could limit crop production decisions and farmers' financial flexibility heading into 2027. Soybean margins currently look stronger than corn margins. Continued grain price volatility will remain an important consideration for wholesalers because it influences when farmers sell crops and how much grain moves through commercial channels.
• The Iran war is increasing uncertainty and costs for US crop producers, influencing farmers' planting decisions for 2026, Farm Progress reports. Rising fertilizer and fuel prices, with urea up sharply and diesel about 35% higher, are raising input costs for farmers, particularly for corn, which requires more nitrogen. As a result, farmers are expected to shift acreage away from corn toward soybeans, which are less input-intensive and currently more economical. Higher costs are putting both crops under financial pressure, with projected losses, but soybeans now offer a relative advantage, reversing last year’s outlook. This could lead to reduced corn acreage and increased soybean plantings, or even some land left unplanted. Additional factors such as shipping costs, inflation, and interest rates are adding to financial strain and planning uncertainty. Overall, crop production is being reshaped by cost pressures and global instability.
• Farm raw products wholesalers have a lot riding on the merger of the Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern railroads: About 3.2 million rail cars of grains, oilseeds, and other agricultural products move by rail on an annual basis, representing more than 10% of all rail shipments, and 26% of grain has at least one rail movement, according to the National Grain and Feed Association. The $85-billion proposed merger would create the nation’s first transcontinental freight railroad, connecting over 50,000 route miles across 43 states and linking some 100 ports, according to Union Pacific. In 2023, more than 80.5 million tons of corn, 26.3 million tons of soybeans, and 25.8 million tons of wheat were shipped by rail, per the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service. The companies are targeting an early-2027 close for their merger, which faces intense scrutiny from the Surface Transportation Board.
• Producer prices for farm product raw material merchant wholesalers jumped 18.4% in August compared to a year ago, after tumbling 22.8% in the previous August-to-August annual comparison, according to the latest US Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Wholesale prices for farm raw products are volatile and subject to swings in prices for farm commodities including grains, crops, and livestock. Sales for farm raw product wholesalers rose 3.2% in July from June and were 19.5% higher than July 2025, according to the Census Bureau's July 2026 Monthly Wholesale Trade Survey. Meanwhile, employment by the industry grew 1.9% year over year in July. according to the BLS.

Industry size & Structure

The average farm raw material product wholesaler employs 21 workers and generates about $95.5 million in annual revenue.

• There are 3,400 farm raw material product wholesalers in the US, operating 6,100 facilities, employing about 73,000 people, and generating about $324.7 billion in annual revenue.
• The industry is somewhat concentrated with the 20 largest firms controlling 59% of industry revenue.
• Large grain wholesaling companies include Cargill, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Scoular, Tronson Grain, and Pacificor.
• Large livestock wholesaling companies include Cattle Empire, Smith Farms, East Carolina Stockyard, and South Texas Cattle Marketing.