The condition of the US corn crop held steady this past week, while the soybean crop slipped slightly.
Monday’s USDA crop progress report pegged the nationwide corn crop at 73% good to excellent as of Sunday, unchanged from a week earlier and 6 points above a year earlier. The American soybean crop, at 69% good to excellent as of Sunday, was down 1 point on the week but still a single point above a year ago.
The Illinois state corn and soybean condition ratings each fell 2 points from the previous week to 69% and 63% good to excellent as of Sunday, respectively, while the Iowa ratings also declined 2 points to 85% and 80%. On the other hand, the Indiana corn condition rating was up 1 point from a week earlier to 62% good to excellent, with the state soybean rating up 2 points to 63%.
The condition of the Michigan corn crop jumped 7 points on the week to reach 56% good to excellent as of Sunday, with the state soybean rating up 6 points to 51%. The Ohio corn crop was down 3 points at 59%, and the soybean crop up 1 point at 59%.
The North Dakota corn crop was rated 71% good to excellent as of Sunday, down a single point from a week earlier, while the soybean rating was up 1 point at 63%.
Across the country, 88% of the corn crop had reached the silking stage of development as of Sunday, up from 76% a week earlier and compared to 86% last year and 89% on average. Almost half (42%) of the crop was at the dough stage, versus 26% the previous week, 44% last year and 40% on average. An estimated 6% of the corn crop was dented as of Sunday, in line with last year and the average.
The national soybean crop was 85% blooming as of Sunday, up from 76% the previous week, on par with last year but 1 point behind average. The crop was 58% podding, up from 41% a week earlier and near 57% last year and 58% on average.
