The condition of the U.S. corn and soybean crops improved over the past week, while development continued to run ahead of normal, according to Monday’s USDA crop progress report.
The national corn crop was rated 68% good to excellent as of Sunday, up 1 percentage point from the previous week but below the 74% rating from a year earlier. Meanwhile, The nationwide soybean crop was rated 65% good to excellent, up 1 point from the previous week but below 70% a year earlier.
Corn conditions were unchanged across much of the central Corn Belt. Iowa remained at 78% good to excellent, while Michigan held at 72%. Indiana remained at 62%, and Illinois was unchanged at 58%.
Conditions improved sharply farther east and north. Ohio corn climbed 9 points to 64% good to excellent, while North Dakota rose 7 points to 71%.
State soybean ratings were mixed. Iowa remained unchanged at 74% good to excellent, while Illinois declined 2 points to 56% and Indiana slipped 1 point to 63%. Michigan improved 7 points to 60%, Ohio jumped 9 points to 63% and North Dakota gained 4 points to 57%.
Crop development accelerated during the week. Nationally, 34% of the corn crop was silking, more than double the previous week’s 16% and ahead of both 32% last year and the five-year average of 30%. Corn in the dough stage reached 6%, up from 3% and slightly ahead of the 5% average.
Illinois corn was 40% silking, Iowa reached 38%, and Indiana was at 26%. Michigan and Ohio were each at 17%, while North Dakota reached 8%.
Soybean blooming advanced to 50% nationally from 34% a week earlier, ahead of 45% last year and the 44% average. Soybeans setting pods reached 19%, up from 9% and ahead of both 14% last year and the 13% average. The Iowa soy crop was 56% blooming while Illinois was 19% podding.
