Grain Conversion Calculator
Convert grain quantities between any unit for any grain type. Enter bushels, pounds, short tons, or metric tonnes for corn, wheat, soybeans, barley, oats, sorghum, canola, and more.
Grain Conversion Calculator Tool
Why use this free grain conversion calculator?
Built with the features most competitors miss — deeper inputs, benchmark data, and actionable guidance alongside the core calculation.
How to use this grain conversion calculator
Standard grain test weights
| Grain | Test weight (lbs/bu) | 1 MT = ? bu | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corn | 56 | 39.37 | Standard US corn at harvest |
| Soybeans | 60 | 36.74 | USDA grade 1 |
| Wheat | 60 | 36.74 | Hard red winter/spring |
| Barley | 48 | 45.93 | Feed and malting barley |
| Oats | 32 | 68.85 | Lowest test weight - high volume |
| Sorghum | 56 | 39.37 | Same as corn |
| Canola | 50 | 44.09 | Rapeseed; lower density |
| Sunflower | 25 | 88.18 | Very low density; hull heavy |
How this calculator compares
LazyTools fills the gaps most competing tools leave open — deeper analysis, benchmark context, and actionable guidance alongside the core calculation.
| Feature | LazyTools | OmniCalculator | Grain.org | USDA NASS tables |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All 5 units simultaneously | ✓ Yes | ✓ | Partial | ✗ |
| 10 grain types | ✓ Yes | ✓ | ✗ | Partial |
| Custom test weight | ✓ Yes | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Convert from any unit | ✓ Yes | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Free, no registration | ✓ Yes | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instant calculation | ✓ Yes | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Grain Conversion Calculator: Complete Guide
Grain is traded, stored, and transported in many different units around the world — bushels in North America, metric tonnes internationally, and kilograms or pounds for smaller quantities. This calculator converts instantly between all five common units for 10 grain species using USDA standard test weights.
Why grain conversions use test weights
Unlike liquids where volume directly implies weight, grain density varies significantly by species and moisture content. A "bushel" is defined by volume (1.244 cubic feet for grain) but traded by weight, with the USDA establishing standard test weights for each grain: corn 56 lbs/bu, wheat 60 lbs/bu, oats 32 lbs/bu. Converting between mass units (lbs, kg, tonnes) is straightforward, but converting from volumetric bushels to mass units requires the test weight.
Common grain unit conversions
Corn: 1 bushel = 56 lbs = 25.4 kg = 0.0254 MT. 1 MT = 39.37 bu. Soybeans: 1 bu = 60 lbs = 27.2 kg = 0.0272 MT. 1 MT = 36.74 bu. Wheat: 1 bu = 60 lbs = 27.2 kg. Same as soybeans. Barley: 1 bu = 48 lbs. Oats: 1 bu = 32 lbs (lowest test weight of major grains). These conversions are used daily in grain trading, transportation logistics, and government reporting.
International grain trade units
Metric tonnes are the international standard for grain trade. CBOT futures contracts for corn and soybeans are quoted in cents per bushel but open interest is often converted to MT for comparison to international markets. The Chicago Board of Trade corn contract = 5,000 bu = 127 MT per contract. Understanding both unit systems is essential for North American farmers selling into export markets.
Grain weight for transportation planning
US legal gross weight for semi-trucks is 80,000 lbs. With a typical truck and trailer tare weight of 32,000 to 36,000 lbs, net payload capacity is approximately 44,000 to 48,000 lbs. For corn at 56 lbs/bu: maximum load = 44,000 / 56 = approximately 785 bushels per load. This calculation drives harvest logistics planning for number of trucks, grain cart loads, and total loads per field.