U.S. corn and soybean crop conditions improved slightly over the past week, although ratings varied widely among various states.
Monday’s USDA crop progress report rated 68% of the U.S. corn crop in good to excellent condition as of Sunday, up 1 percentage point from the previous week but below 72% a year earlier. Soybean conditions also improved by 1 point to 66% good to excellent, matching the year-ago rating.
In Iowa, the largest corn-producing state, corn conditions slipped 2 points to 79% good to excellent. The state’s soybean rating fell 3 points to 77%.
Illinois corn declined 1 point to 66% good to excellent, while soybean conditions dropped 3 points to 61%.
Indiana recorded notable improvement in both crops. Corn conditions climbed 5 points to 62% good to excellent, while soybeans gained 7 points to 62%.
Michigan corn posted one of the strongest weekly advances, rising 6 points to 74% good to excellent. The state’s soybean crop improved 2 points to 69%.
The most dramatic corn improvement was reported in Ohio, where the good-to-excellent rating surged 19 points to 64%. Ohio soybean conditions increased 2 points to 49%.
In North Dakota, corn conditions held steady at 67% good to excellent, while soybean ratings improved 4 points to 67%.
Crop development remained ahead of normal nationally. Corn emergence reached 94%, up from 86% the previous week and slightly ahead of both 93% last year and the five-year average.
Soybean planting advanced to 95% complete, compared with 92% a week earlier, 93% last year and the five-year average of 93%.
Soybean emergence jumped 9 points to 88%, well ahead of 83% last year and the five-year average of 82%.
