U.S. corn conditions held steady this past week, while soybean ratings deteriorated as both crops continued to advance toward maturity.
Monday’s USDA crop progress report showed 57% of the U.S. corn crop rated good to excellent as of Sunday, unchanged from the previous week but well below the 69% rated good to excellent at the same point last year. Soybean conditions fell 2 points to 58% good to excellent, compared with 60% a week earlier and 65% last year.
Among major producing states, Iowa corn slipped 1 point to 77% good to excellent, while Illinois and Indiana were unchanged at 58% and 62%, respectively. Michigan improved 5 points to 60%, while Ohio held at 61%. North Dakota deteriorated sharply, falling 7 points to just 24% good to excellent.
Soybean conditions were relatively stable across much of the central Midwest. Illinois remained at 59% good to excellent and Iowa held at 77%, while Indiana improved 2 points to 63%. Michigan and Ohio were unchanged at 48% and 58%, respectively. North Dakota soybeans improved 3 points to 30% good to excellent.
Corn development continued to move ahead of normal. An estimated 92% of the crop had reached the dough stage, up from 86% the previous week and above the five-year average of 89%. Corn dented jumped to 62% from 45%, also ahead of the 56% average.
Meanwhile, 13% of U.S. corn was mature, up from 6% a week earlier and matching the five-year average, although slightly behind 14% last year.
Soybean development also remained ahead of normal. About 95% of the crop was setting pods, up from 91% the previous week and above the five-year average of 93%. An estimated 13% of soybeans were dropping leaves, more than double the previous week’s 6% and ahead of the 9% average.
