Yield conversion
Bushels to tons converter
Convert grain bushels into short tons, metric tonnes, pounds and kilograms using the standard bushel weight for each crop.
Bushels to tons
Bushel weights from the project bushel-weight table (USDA FSA standards).
Formula
tonnes = bushels × lb/bu × 0.45359237 ÷ 1,000
The lb/bu value is crop-specific; check the bushel weight by crop table.
Tons per 1,000 bushels by crop
| Crop | lb/bu | Pounds per 1,000 bu | Short tons per 1,000 bu | Tonnes per 1,000 bu |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corn (shelled) | 56 | 56,000 | 28.0 | 25.40 |
| Wheat | 60 | 60,000 | 30.0 | 27.22 |
| Soybeans | 60 | 60,000 | 30.0 | 27.22 |
| Grain sorghum | 56 | 56,000 | 28.0 | 25.40 |
| Rye | 56 | 56,000 | 28.0 | 25.40 |
| Barley | 48 | 48,000 | 24.0 | 21.77 |
| Rice (rough) | 45 | 45,000 | 22.5 | 20.41 |
| Canola / rapeseed | 50 | 50,000 | 25.0 | 22.68 |
| Oats | 32 | 32,000 | 16.0 | 14.51 |
Worked examples
5,000 bushels of corn weigh 5,000 × 56 = 280,000 lb, which is 140 short tons or about 127 metric tonnes.
A 53 bu/acre soybean field produces 53 × 60 = 3,180 lb per acre, about 1.59 short tons per acre — the same arithmetic used on the soybean yield page.
FAQ
How many bushels of corn are in a ton?
One short ton (2,000 lb) is 2,000 ÷ 56 ≈ 35.7 bushels of shelled corn. One metric tonne (about 2,204.6 lb) is ≈ 39.4 bushels.
What is the difference between a short ton and a metric tonne?
A U.S. short ton is 2,000 lb. A metric tonne is 1,000 kg, about 2,204.6 lb. Grain trade in the U.S. usually quotes short tons; international trade uses tonnes.
Why does the conversion change by crop?
A bushel is a volume, but grain marketing assigns each crop a standard weight per bushel: corn 56 lb, wheat and soybeans 60 lb, barley 48 lb, oats 32 lb. The ton conversion uses that crop-specific weight.