The condition of the U.S. corn crop declined during the past week, while national soybean ratings were unchanged, according to Monday’s USDA crop progress report.
The nationwide corn crop was rated 61% good to excellent as of Sunday, down 2 percentage points from a week earlier. Ratings were also well below the 73% reported at the same point last year. Meanwhile, the national soybean crop was rated 63% good to excellent, unchanged from the previous week but below the 69% reported a year earlier.
Among the central Corn Belt states, Iowa’s corn rating held steady at 80% good to excellent. Illinois improved 1 point to 60%, while Indiana also gained 1 point to reach 64%.
Michigan’s corn crop improved 2 points to 67% good to excellent, while Ohio slipped 1 point to 61%. North Dakota recorded a much sharper decline, falling 13 points to 37%.
Soybean conditions in Iowa remained unchanged at 78% good to excellent. Illinois improved 1 point to 58%, while Indiana also gained 1 point to 64%.
Michigan soybean conditions rose 3 points to 56% good to excellent, while Ohio improved 2 points to 59%. North Dakota soybean ratings plunged, falling 14 points to 44%.
Crop development continued to advance rapidly. Nationally, 90% of the corn crop was silking as of Sunday, up from 78% a week earlier and ahead of 86% last year and the 87% five-year average. Corn in the dough stage reached 43%, up from 25% the previous week and ahead of both 40% last year and the 38% average. Six percent of the crop had dented, compared with 5% last year and the five-year average.
Soybeans blooming reached 88%, up from 80% a week earlier and ahead of 84% last year and the five-year average. Pod setting advanced to 62% from 47%, compared with 56% last year and the 55% average.
