U.S. corn and soybean crop conditions were unchanged nationally over the past week, although several major producing states reported notable declines as crop development continued to run ahead of normal.
Monday’s USDA crop progress report rated the American corn crop at 68% good to excellent as of Sunday, unchanged from the previous week but 2 points below the 70% reported a year earlier. The nationwide soybean crop was rated 66% good to excellent, also steady on the week and equal to last year.
Conditions deteriorated across several important Corn Belt states. Illinois corn fell 6 points to 60% good to excellent, while Iowa declined 2 points to 77%. Indiana slipped 2 points to 71%, Minnesota dropped 2 points to 79% and Michigan eased 1 point to 73%.
Ohio posted one of the largest declines, falling 7 points to 57% good to excellent, while North Dakota corn dropped 3 points to 64%.
Soybean conditions were similarly mixed. Indiana improved 9 points to 71% good to excellent, while Ohio gained 6 points to 55%. However, Michigan soybean conditions tumbled 10 points to 59% good to excellent. Illinois declined 3 points to 58%, while Iowa, Minnesota, and North Dakota each fell 4 points.
Crop development remained brisk. Corn emergence reached 97%, up from 94% the previous week and matching both last year and the five-year average. An estimated 5% of the corn crop was silking, compared with 4% last year and 3% on average.
Soybean emergence advanced to 93%, up 5 points on the week and ahead of 89% last year and the 90% average. Nine percent of soybeans were blooming, compared with 7% a year ago and 6% on average.
