The condition of the U.S. corn crop held steady over the past week, while soybean ratings slipped slightly, even as both crops continued to develop ahead of normal, according to Monday’s USDA crop progress report.
The national corn crop was rated 67% good to excellent as of Sunday, unchanged from the previous week but below the 74% rated good to excellent a year earlier.
Meanwhile, the national soybean crop was rated 64% good to excellent, down 1 point from the previous week and 2 points below the 66% rating from a year earlier.
In the western and eastern Corn Belt, corn conditions were mixed. Illinois corn declined 2 points from the previous week to 58% good to excellent, while Indiana also slipped 2 points to 62%. Iowa remained one of the stronger-rated states, holding steady at 78% good to excellent.
The Michigan corn crop was unchanged from the previous week at 72% good to excellent, while Ohio deteriorated more sharply, falling 7 points to 55%. Farther west, North Dakota corn dropped 5 points to 64% good to excellent.
For soybeans, the Illinois crop improved 3 points on the week to 58% good to excellent as of Sunday, while Iowa eased 1 point to 74%. Indiana was unchanged at 64% good to excellent. Michigan and Ohio both weakened, with Michigan down 10 points to 53% and Ohio down 3 points to 54%. North Dakota soybeans also fell sharply, dropping 10 points to 53% good to excellent.
Crop development continued to move quickly. Nationally, 16% of the corn crop was silking, up from 9% a week earlier and ahead of the five-year average of 14%, though slightly behind 17% last year. An estimated 3% of the crop had reached the dough stage, matching last year and slightly ahead of the 2% average.
Soybean development was also ahead of normal, with 34% of the crop blooming, up from 19% the previous week and ahead of both 30% last year and the 28% average. Soybeans setting pods reached 9%, compared with 4% a week earlier, 7% last year, and the 6% average.
