USDA Crop Progress: Corn Rated 60% Good to Excellent; Soybeans 61% Good to Excellent as of Aug. 16

This article was originally published at 3:05 p.m. CDT on Monday, Aug. 17. It was last updated with additional information at 3:58 p.m. CDT on Monday, Aug. 17.

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OMAHA (DTN) — Corn and soybean good-to-excellent ratings both declined last week, according to USDA NASS’s weekly Crop Progress report released Monday.

NASS also reported that just 4% of winter wheat was left to harvest, while the spring wheat harvest was running 8 percentage points ahead of last year’s pace.

The weather pattern will remain active this week as fronts move through the country, bringing scattered showers to the Corn Belt and some relief to areas that need the rain, according to DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick.

CORN

— Crop development: Corn silking was pegged at 97%, steady with last year and the five-year average. Corn in the dough stage was estimated at 76%, 6 percentage points ahead of both last year and the five-year average of 70%. Corn dented was estimated at 29%, 4 percentage points ahead of last year’s 25% and 5 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 24%. Corn mature was pegged at 4%, 1 percentage point ahead of both last year and the five-year average of 3%.

— Crop condition: NASS estimated that 60% of the crop was in good-to-excellent condition, down 1 percentage point from the previous week of 61% and 11 percentage points below last year’s 71%. Fifteen percent of the crop was rated very poor to poor, 1 percentage point above the previous week’s 14% and 7 percentage points above the previous year’s 8%. Iowa’s corn crop was rated 78% good to excellent, while Illinois’ crop was rated 59%, according to DTN Senior Analyst Dana Mantini.

SOYBEANS

— Crop development: Soybeans blooming was pegged at 96%, 2 percentage points ahead of last year and the five-year average of 94%. Soybeans setting pods were estimated at 85%, 5 percentage points ahead of both last year and the five-year average of 80%.

— Crop condition: NASS estimated that 61% of soybeans that had emerged were in good-to-excellent condition, 1 percentage point below the previous week’s 62% and 7 percentage points below the previous year’s 68%. Illinois was at 59% good to excellent, while Iowa remained at 78%, identical to corn, Mantini said.

WINTER WHEAT

— Harvest progress: Harvest moved ahead 5 percentage points last week to reach 96% complete nationwide as of Sunday. That was 3 percentage points ahead of last year’s 93% and 2 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 94%. Harvest in Montana reached 79%, jumping 29 percentage points from 50% the previous week. Idaho and Washington are 75% and 81% complete.

SPRING WHEAT

— Harvest progress: Spring wheat harvest jumped ahead 17 percentage points last week to reach 41% complete as of Sunday. That was 8 percentage points ahead of last year’s pace of 33% and 7 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 34%.

— Crop condition: NASS estimated that 52% of the crop was in good-to-excellent condition nationwide, up 1 percentage point from the previous week’s 51%. South Dakota has the highest very-poor-to-poor rating at 21%. Minnesota led the good-to-excellent category at 91%, followed by Idaho at 69% and Washington at 49%.

THE WEEK AHEAD IN WEATHER

After last week’s flooding and stagnant weather pattern, a more active pattern this week should bring scattered showers and some relief to drier areas, according to DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick.

“Last week’s weather was both good and bad across a lot of the country,” Baranick said. “While we had some good rainfall in the middle of the Corn Belt, we ended up with some significant flooding, especially in central Illinois and Indiana. Those areas could use an extended break. Meanwhile, we need rain across the north and south.

“This week offers some relief to a lot of areas, but not everyone. The weather pattern is still active, but it’ll be moving this week instead of being stagnant like it was last week. A front from last week is slowly pushing down into the Southeast for Monday and Tuesday, which will bring in a few showers, just not a lot. Another front up near the Canadian border on Monday will slowly drop southeast through the country over the next several days. That will spread some showers out across the Corn Belt, including both the drier north and south as well as the wet central. Not a lot of heavy rain is in the forecast, but it is a bit widespread. Another will do something similar for the weekend as well.

“Overall, temperatures will continue to be hot across the south, even with the fronts coming through, while it will be milder across the north, even with a few cool mornings in the Upper Midwest. So, if these areas don’t pick up on a lot of rain, they may at least stay away from stressful temperatures. The Plains states are forecast to see an increase in temperature this weekend, though.”

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To view weekly crop progress reports issued by National Ag Statistics Service offices in individual states, visit http://www.nass.usda.gov/. Look for the U.S. map in the “Find Data and Reports by” section and choose the state you wish to view in the drop-down menu. Then look for that state’s “Crop Progress & Condition” report.

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Editor’s Note: How are your crops looking? Are they better, worse or right on track with USDA NASS’ observations this week? Send us your comments, and we’ll include them in next week’s Crop Progress report story. You can email comments to talk@dtn.com. Please include the location of where you farm.

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EllaMae Reiff can be reached at ellamae.reiff@dtn.com

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