The condition of the US corn crop ticked higher again this past week, while the condition of the soybean crop held steady for the fourth straight time.
Monday’s USDA crop progress report pegged the American corn crop at 74% good to excellent as of Monday. That’s up 1 point from a week earlier and adds to the previous week’s 3-point gain. Meanwhile, the condition of the national soybean crop was unchanged at 66% good to excellent, where it has held since mid-June.
The condition of the corn crop now sits 6 points above a year earlier, while the soybean rating is 2 points below.
The condition of the Illinois corn crop slipped 3 points on the week to fall to 68% good to excellent, while the state soybean crop was static at 54%. The Indiana corn and soybean crops each gained a single point on the week to improve to 63% and 62% good to excellent, respectively. The Iowa corn rating was 1 point higher at 86% good to excellent, with the state soybean crop up 2 points at 79%.
At 56% good to excellent, the condition of the Michigan corn crop down 1 point from a week earlier, while the soybean crop was up 5 points to 48%. Ratings for both crops declined in Ohio, with corn down 4 points to 57% and soybeans down 5 points at 54%. The North Dakota corn crop was rated 62% good to excellent, up from 59% a week earlier, but the soybean crop eased a single point to 56%.
An estimated 18% of the national corn crop was at the silking stage of development as of Sunday, up 10 points from a week earlier. That is 4 points behind last year, but 3 points ahead of average. Nationally, 3% of the corn crop was at the dough stage, on par with last year and 1 point ahead of average.
For the soybean crop, 32% was blooming was of Sunday, versus 17% a week earlier, 32% last year and 31% on average. The crop was at 8% podding as of Sunday, up 5 points on the week, on par with last year and 2 points ahead of average.
