The condition of the U.S. winter wheat crop declined further this past week, with a larger portion now rated in poor to very poor condition versus good to excellent.
Monday’s weekly USDA crop progress report pegged the nationwide crop at just 30% good to excellent, down 4 points from a week earlier and now 11 points below a year earlier. Going into today’s report, most traders and analysts had expected just a 1-point decline in the condition of the crop compared to the previous week.
The 2026 winter wheat crop was rated 33% poor to very poor as of Sunday, an increase of 1 point from a week earlier and up 12 points from last year.
The condition of the crop in the No. 1 production state of Kansas fell a major 8 points on the week to just 24% good to excellent, and is now down 14 points over the last two weeks alone. The Oklahoma crop held steady at 10% good to excellent, while the Texas crop eased a single point to 14%.
The crop on the U.S. southern Plains has been badly hurt by hot, dry conditions, along with bouts of freezing temperatures. According to today’s USDA daily agricultural weather highlights, weekend freezes occurred in many of the driest winter wheat areas, with temperatures below 25 degrees F overlapping winter wheat that has reached the jointing stage or beyond in portions of eastern Colorado, southwestern Nebraska, and western through north-central Kansas.
The condition of the Soft Red crop in Michigan went backward as well, falling 4 points from a week earlier to 61% good to excellent as of Sunday. On the other hand, the Ohio crop was up 2 points on the week to 67%.
Across the country, 20% of the winter wheat crop had reached the heading stage of development as of Sunday, up from 11% a week earlier and well ahead of 14% last year and 12% on average. The Kansas crop was 15% headed, compared to only 2% on average.
Meanwhile, 12% of the U.S. spring wheat crop was planted as of Sunday, up 6 points from the previous week. That is 4 points behind last year but on par with the five-year average.
The Minnesota crop was 2% planted, behind 3% last year and 6% on average, while Montana was 19% done, ahead of 14% last year and 10% on average. Planting in the largest production state of North Dakota was stalled at 1% complete, behind 9% last year and 7% on average. The South Dakota crop was 28% in the ground, trailing 47% last year and 32% on average.
