The US corn and soybean harvests are progressing slightly ahead of the five-year average as crop development continues to run well ahead of normal in parts of the Corn Belt.
The weekly USDA crop progress report on Monday pegged the nationwide corn harvest at 9% complete as of Sunday, up 4 points from a week earlier and 2 points ahead of last year and the five-year average. Meanwhile, 5% of the soybean crop was reported in the bin as of Sunday, compared to 3% last year and 4% on average.
In Illinois, where late season hot, dry weather has accelerated crop development, 70% of the corn crop had reached maturity as of Sunday, up 28 points on the week and 24 points ahead of the state average, while 66% of the soybean crop was dropping leaves, 29 points ahead of average.
Crops are also progressing quickly in Iowa, with 63% of the corn reported mature as of Sunday, compared to 42% on average. More than half of the Iowa soybean crop (52%) was dropping leaves, 14 points ahead of the average.
However, things are not moving as quickly in the Great Lakes region. The Michigan and Ohio corn crops were 19% and 22% mature as of Sunday, behind 25% and 29% on average. The soybean crops in the two states were 33% and 27% dropping leaves, lagging 48% and 37% on average.
On a national basis, 54% of the corn crop had reached maturity as of Sunday, up 20 points on the week and 10 points ahead of average. The soybean crop was 54% dropping leaves, compared to 31% a week earlier and 43% on average.
The Illinois and Iowa corn harvests were 6% and 5% complete as of Sunday, respectively, versus 2% a week earlier and 6% and 2% on average. On the other hand, Indiana corn was just 2% harvested, 2 points behind average. The Michigan corn crop was 1% in the bin as of Sunday, behind 2% last year but on par with average. No corn was reported harvested in Ohio and North Dakota, compared to 1% for both on average.
For soybeans, 3% of the crop was off in Iowa as of Sunday, up from 1% a week earlier and 1 point ahead of average, while Illinois and Indiana were both 1% done, 1 and 2 points behind average, respectively.
The Michigan soy harvest was 1% complete as of Sunday, matching the average pace, while North Dakota was 4% done, 2 points behind the state average. No soybeans were harvested in Ohio as of Sunday, versus 1% on average.
The US corn crop was rated 51% good to excellent as of Sunday, down a single point on the week and 1 point below a year earlier. The national soy crop was rated 52% good to excellent, steady from the previous week but 3 points below last year.
