US corn and soybean condition ratings were just steady to lower this past week, as the two crops entered the silking and blooming stages of development.
Monday’s USDA crop progress report pegged the national corn crop at 70% good to excellent as of Sunday, down 2 points from the previous week and below the average pre-report trade guess of 72%. Meanwhile, the condition of the nationwide soybean crop held steady from a week earlier at 66% good to excellent, compared to the average trade guess of 67%.
The condition of the corn crop remains 1 point above last year at this time, while the soybean crop sits 1 point below.
In the top production state of Iowa, the condition of the corn crop eased a single point on the week to 83% good to excellent, while the Illinois crop improved 4 points to 74% and Indiana was down 4 points at 63%.
The Michigan corn crop gained 5 points to improve to 57% good to excellent as of Sunday, and the Ohio crop was up 2 points to 60%. The condition of the North Dakota crop fell 9 points from a week earlier to 55% good to excellent as of Sunday.
As for soybeans, the Illinois crop was down 2 points from a week earlier to 61% good to excellent as of Sunday, while Indiana fell 3 points to 63% and Iowa was down 3 points to 77%. The Michigan crop also fell 3 points, down to 45% good to excellent, but Ohio was up 3 points at 57%. The North Dakota soybean crop came in at 57% good to excellent as of Sunday, a fall of 6 points on the week.
The report said 4% of the US corn crop had reached the silking stage of development as of Sunday, even with a year ago and 1 point ahead of normal. The soybean crop was 8% blooming as of Sunday, 1 point ahead of last year and the average.
An estimated 97% of the American corn crop had emerged as of Sunday, up 3 points on the week and compared to 96% last year and 98% on average. The national soybean crop was 90% emerged, up from 84% a week earlier and versus 89% last year and 90% on average.
