The condition of the US soybean crop slipped this past week, while the corn crop held steady for the second straight week.
Monday’s USDA crop progress report pegged the national soybean crop at 68% good to excellent as of Sunday, down 2 points from a week earlier and giving back half of the previous week’s gain. Meanwhile, the corn rating was unchanged at 74% good to excellent.
The corn rating sits 7 points above last year, while the soybean rating is on par with a year ago.
Corn and soybean crops in Iowa showed modest improvement, each gaining a single point to 86% and 80% good to excellent, respectively. The Illinois corn crop was up 2 points on the week to 70% good to excellent, while the state soybean crop was steady at 60%. The Indiana corn and soybean crops were both rated 60% good to excellent, down 2 points from a week earlier.
At 50% good to excellent, the condition of the Michigan soybean crop was up 1 point from a week earlier, while the soybean crop was up 2 points to 48%. The condition of the Ohio corn and soybean crops each improved 3 points to 59% and 56%. The North Dakota corn crop was up 1 point to 69% good to excellent, but the soy crop was down 5 points at 57%.
Across the country, more than half of the corn crop (56%) was silking as of Sunday, up from 34% a week earlier but a bit behind 58% for last year and the five-year average. An estimated 14% of the crop was at the dough stage as of Sunday, compared to 7% a week earlier, 16% last year, and 12% on average.
The American soybean crop was 62% blooming as of Sunday, up from 47% the previous week and near last year and the average at 63%. The crop was 26% podding, versus 15% a week earlier, 27% last year and 26% on average.
