The condition of the U.S. corn crop declined slightly over the past week, while soybean ratings improved, according to Monday’s USDA crop progress report.
The national corn crop was rated 67% good to excellent as of Sunday, down 1 percentage point from a week earlier and below the 74% reported a year earlier. Soybeans were rated 66% good to excellent, up 1 point from the previous week but below 68% last year.
Corn conditions were mixed across the major producing states. The Iowa and Illinois crops each improved 2 points to 80% and 60%, while the Indiana crop was up 2 points as well, to 64%.
Michigan's corn crop held steady at 72% good to excellent, with Ohio down 2 points at 62%. North Dakota corn fell 10 points to 61% good to excellent.
Soybean ratings improved in several key states. Iowa climbed 5 points to 79% good to excellent, while Illinois rose 3 points to 59%. Indiana remained unchanged at 63%, and Michigan held at 60%.
Farther east and north, Ohio soybean conditions surged 13 points to 76% good to excellent, while North Dakota gained 6 points to 63%.
Corn development accelerated during the week. Nationally, 59% of the crop was silking, up from 34% a week earlier and ahead of 53% last year and the 54% five-year average. Corn in the dough stage reached 13%, up from 6% and ahead of the 11% average.
Iowa corn was 72% silking, Illinois reached 69%, and Indiana was at 53%. Michigan advanced to 70%, while Ohio reached 42%, and North Dakota was at 20%.
Soybeans blooming reached 66% nationally, up from 50% and ahead of the 60% average. Soybeans setting pods advanced to 32% from 19%, compared with the five-year average of 24%.
