Grain Conversion Calculator

Convert the mass of your agricultural products into bushels and other units

Select a commodity, enter the amount, and instantly get the equivalent in bushels. Calculate pricing per unit mass or per bushel, and compare between different crops.

Last updated: 2026-07-23

CreatorFrank Zhao

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Introduction / overview

The Grain Conversion Calculator turns the weight of your agricultural commodity into bushels — the classic unit used across global grain markets. It also helps you figure out pricing, whether you think in terms of dollars per metric ton, per pound, or per bushel.

Bushels can feel confusing at first because a bushel is a volume measure, not a weight. A bushel of wheat weighs 60 lb, a bushel of oats weighs only 32 lb — same basket, wildly different load. Our calculator handles these differences automatically using official USDA bushel-weight data for over 50 commodities, so you never have to look up a conversion table.

Who will find this useful?

Farmers and growers who need to convert stored grain weight into bushels for sale, insurance, or subsidy applications.
Traders and commodity buyers comparing prices across different crops, currencies, and mass units.
Agricultural students and educators learning about commodity measurement standards.
Home gardeners and smallholders working with smaller quantities who want to understand bushel equivalents.

The calculator draws its bushel-weight data from the USDA’s “Weights, Measures, and Conversion Factors for Agricultural Commodities” — the same reference used by professional grain inspectors.

If you also need to figure out how much fertilizer or seed to apply based on your acreage, take a look at our Fertilizer Calculator and Plant Spacing Calculator.

How to use (quick start)

Using the calculator takes just a couple of steps. Here is the most common workflow:

Pick your commodity

Open the Agricultural commodity dropdown and select your crop — Wheat, Corn, Soybeans, Barley, you name it. Over 50 commodities are included.

Enter the amount

Type the weight of your commodity in the Amount field. You can switch between metric tons, kilograms, pounds, ounces, grains, and more using the unit selector next to the input.

Read the bushel equivalent

The Bushels field updates instantly, showing you the converted value. Now you know exactly how many bushels you are working with.

Example: Bushels from 10 metric tons of wheat

Select Wheat (bushel weight: 27.2 kg/bu) and enter 10 in the Amount field (keeping the default unit “metric tons”).

10\ \mathrm{t} = 10\,000\ \mathrm{kg}

\text{Bushels} = \frac{10\,000}{27.2}

=

367.65\ \mathrm{bu.}

That is roughly 368 bushels of wheat. The calculator shows the exact value with full precision.

Want pricing too? Flip the Calculate price per unit toggle and three extra fields appear. Enter any two of them (for example, price per bushel and total price) and the calculator figures out the third one automatically — no manual math required.

Real-world examples

Pricing a corn harvest

You harvested 25 metric tons of shelled corn. Your local elevator is quoting $180 per metric ton. What is the total value, and what is the equivalent price per bushel?

Select Corn, Shelled from the dropdown.
Enter 25 in the Amount field (metric tons).
Turn on Calculate price per unit.
Enter 180 in the Price per unit mass field (USD/t).

Results:

\text{Bushels} = \frac{25\,000\ \mathrm{kg}}{25.4\ \mathrm{kg/bu}}

=

984.25\ \mathrm{bu.}

\text{Total price} = 25 \times 180

=

\$4\,500

\text{Price per bushel} = \frac{4\,500}{984.25}

=

\$4.57\ \mathrm{/bu.}

With this information, you can quickly compare the elevator’s offer against other buyers who may quote in dollars per bushel instead of per ton.

Comparing two grain lots

You are a trader comparing two offers: 50 metric tons of soybeans at $420 per metric ton versus 40 metric tons of corn at $180 per metric ton. Which gives you a better per-bushel price?

Open the Second commodity section. Set Commodity 1 to Soybeans and Commodity 2 to Corn (Shelled). Enter the amounts and prices, and the calculator automatically compares the two.

\text{Soybeans: }\$420/\mathrm{t} \times 50\ \mathrm{t} = \$21\,000

\text{Corn: }\$180/\mathrm{t} \times 40\ \mathrm{t} = \$7\,200

\Delta = \$11.43 - \$7.09 = \$4.34\ \mathrm{/bu.}

The comparison panel shows that soybeans deliver a higher per-bushel price — useful leverage when negotiating with buyers.

Converting pounds to bushels for a small grain bin

You have a small bin of barley weighing exactly 2,500 pounds and want to report the quantity in bushels for your records.

Select Barley from the dropdown.
Switch the Amount unit to pounds (lb).
Enter 2500.

2\,500\ \mathrm{lb} \times 0.4536 = 1\,134\ \mathrm{kg}

\text{Bushels} = \frac{1\,134}{21.8}

=

52.02\ \mathrm{bu.}

About 52 bushels of barley. No need to remember that a bushel of barley is 48 lb — the calculator handles the conversion for you.

Common scenarios

Here are typical situations where the grain conversion calculator saves you time and head-scratching:

Selling to an elevator or co-op

Different buyers quote in different units — dollars per ton, per pound, or per bushel. Use the pricing fields to convert everything to a common unit so you can compare offers side by side.

Grain bin inventory management

Weigh your bin contents and convert to bushels for insurance, loan, or subsidy documentation. The calculator works with any mass unit, including pounds and short tons.

Import / export price negotiations

International grain trade mixes metric tons, bushels, and multiple currencies. Switch between 20 currencies to see prices in your local money without manual exchange-rate calculations.

Crop rotation price analysis

Deciding what to plant next season? Use the second-commodity comparison to check the per-bushel price difference between two crops and make a data-driven decision.

When it might not apply: The calculator uses average USDA bushel weights. Some local markets or specialty varieties may use slightly different conversion factors. Always confirm with your buyer if the bushel weight differs from the standard.

Tips & best practices

Keep the commodity selected

Always pick the commodity before entering the amount. If you change the commodity after entering a value, the calculator re-derives the result using the new bushel weight. This is by design — it keeps the math consistent.

Three pricing fields, two inputs needed

You only need to fill in two of the three pricing fields (Price per unit mass, Price per bushel, Total price). The calculator figures out the third one. This is useful when you know the total and the bushels but want the per-bushel price, for instance.

Check specialty crops

Some commodities like Bluegrass seed (10 kg/bu) and Orchardgrass seed (6.4 kg/bu) have very light bushels. Double-check the bushel weight with your local buyer if you are dealing with a non-standard variety — official USDA values can vary in practice.

Avoid mixing pricing with different commodities

The three pricing fields are all linked to the same commodity. If you change the commodity after entering a price, the calculator will re-derive values — which may produce unexpected results. When comparing two crops, use the Second commodity section instead.

Calculation method / formulas

The calculator is built around one core relationship with a few pricing extensions. All conversions use the official USDA bushel weights stored in the commodity database.

1. Mass to bushels

B = \frac{m}{W_b}

Where $m$ is the mass in kilograms, $W_b$ is the bushel weight of the selected commodity (kg/bu), and $B$ is the number of bushels.

2. Price per bushel

P_b = \frac{P_t}{B}

Where $P_b$ is the price per bushel, $P_t$ is the total price, and $B$ is the number of bushels.

3. Total price from unit price

P_t = P_m \times m

Where $P_m$ is the price per unit mass, $m$ is the mass, and $P_t$ is the total price. This works with any mass unit you choose — the unit conversion happens automatically behind the scenes.

4. Price comparison

\Delta = P_{b,1} - P_{b,2}

The difference in price per bushel between the first and second commodity. A positive value means the first commodity is more expensive per bushel.

Bidirectional calculation: Every formula above works in both directions. Enter any two related fields and the calculator determines the third. For example, you can enter price per bushel and bushels to find the total price, or enter total price and bushels to find the price per bushel.

Variable reference

m

Mass/weight of the commodity (any supported unit)

W_b

Bushel weight — fixed per commodity (kg/bu)

B

Number of bushels

P_b

Price per bushel

P_t

Total price of the lot

P_m

Price per unit of mass

\Delta

Price difference per bushel between two commodities

Source: USDA Agricultural Handbook No. 697 — Weights, Measures, and Conversion Factors for Agricultural Commodities and Their Products

What is a bushel?

A bushel is an old English unit of volume — about 35.2 liters or 2,150 cubic inches. For agricultural commodities, though, everyone talks about a bushel in terms of weight, because that is how grain is traded.

Here is the catch: a bushel is not a fixed weight. The same basket holds different weights depending on what you put in it:

Commodity	Pounds / bushel	Kg / bushel
Wheat	60	27.2
Corn, Shelled	56	25.4
Barley	48	21.8
Oats	32	14.5
Soybeans	60	27.2
Rye	56	25.4
Rice	45	20.4

This is why converting between mass and bushels is not a simple one-size-fits-all formula. Our calculator handles all these variations so you never have to memorize or look up individual conversion factors.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a bushel of corn weigh?

A bushel of shelled corn weighs 56 pounds (25.4 kg). Ear corn (husked) is heavier at 70 lb (31.8 kg) per bushel because the cob adds weight. Our calculator includes both options in the commodity list.

Can I use this for free?

Yes, the calculator is completely free to use — no sign-up, no hidden charges. All computation runs on the page you are viewing.

How do I calculate bushels in a grain bin?

The simplest method: weigh the grain in the bin (or estimate it from the bin dimensions and grain density), then use this calculator to convert that weight into bushels. If you need the bin volume, use the formula $\pi r^2 h$ (in feet), then divide by 1.244 to get approximate bushels.

What is a bushel of wheat in pounds?

A standard bushel of wheat weighs 60 pounds (27.2 kg). Wheat, soybeans, and several other commodities share the same 60 lb/bushel standard.

How accurate are the bushel weights?

The weights come directly from USDA publication AH-697. They are the official standard used across the U.S. agricultural industry. Local moisture content can affect actual weight — very dry grain is lighter per bushel, while wet grain is heavier.

Can I compare two different crops?

Yes. Expand the Second commodity section and fill in the details for a second crop. If both have pricing enabled, the calculator shows you the per-bushel price difference between the two.

Why do the prices show in different currencies?

The calculator supports 20 currencies. You can change the currency for each pricing field independently using the selector next to the input. Exchange rates are fetched live when available, so the displayed amounts stay current.

What if my commodity is not in the list?

The dropdown covers over 50 common agricultural commodities. If yours is missing, you can still get a result by entering the bushel weight manually in the grain field, or use the reverse calculation: enter the weight and the number of bushels, and the calculator derives the effective bushel weight for you.

Limitations & disclaimers

Not a substitute for certified scales. The calculator is a reference tool. For official transactions, always use calibrated weighing equipment and consult your local grain exchange standards.
Moisture content affects weight. Standard bushel weights assume a specific moisture level. Actual weights can vary. Many grain buyers apply moisture adjustments — this calculator does not.
Exchange rates. Currency conversions use market rates and are provided for reference. Actual transaction rates may differ depending on your bank or payment method.
Not financial advice. Pricing calculations are informational. Consult a qualified broker or financial advisor for trading decisions.
Regional bushel definitions. The US bushel is the standard used here. Some countries use slightly different bushel values — verify with your local regulations if trading internationally.

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