After holding steady since mid-June, the condition of the US soybean crop improved to the upside this past week.
Meanwhile, it was corn’s turn to remain unchanged.
Monday’s USDA crop progress report pegged the nationwide soybean crop at 70% good to excellent as of Sunday, up 4 points from the previous week and now 2 points higher than a year earlier. As for the corn crop, the national condition rating held at 74% good to excellent, 6 points better than last year.
The condition of the soybean crop saw significant improvement in the largest production state of Illinois, rising 6 points from the previous week to 60% good to excellent as of Sunday. On the other hand, the crops in Iowa and Indiana were steady from a week earlier at 79% and 62% good to excellent, respectively.
At 46% good to excellent as of Sunday, the condition of the Michigan soybean crop was down 2 points on the week, while the Ohio crop eased a single point to 53%. The North Dakota soybean crop also saw notable improvement, rising 6 points on the week to 62% good to excellent.
The condition of the Iowa corn crop was down 1 point from a week earlier to 85% good to excellent as of Sunday, while Illinois was unchanged at 68%. At 62% good to excellent, the condition of the Indiana crop was down 1 point from a week earlier.
The Michigan corn crop took a significant step back, falling 7 points from the previous week to 49% good to excellent, while Ohio slipped 1 point to 56%. The North Dakota corn crop was rated 68% good to excellent as of Sunday, up 6 points on the week.
Across the country, just over one-third of the corn crop (34%) was silking as of Sunday, up from 18% a week earlier, behind 39% last year but 1 point ahead of average. An estimated 7% of the corn crop was in the dough stage, versus 3% the previous week, 7% last year and 5% on average.
The American soybean crop was 47% blooming as of Sunday, an increase of 15 points on the week, on par with average but 2 points behind last year. The crop was 15% podding, compared to 8% a week earlier, 17% last year, and 14% on average.
