(Omaha) Corn crop conditions held steady last week, while soybean ratings declined, according to the USDA NASS weekly Crop Progress report released Monday.
Early September will bring summer-like conditions to much of the country, with hot and mostly dry weather expected across the South and Southeast. Scattered showers are expected in the northern Corn Belt, according to DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick.
Corn development continued to run ahead of the pace of recent years, according to Dana Mantini Senior Analyst of DTN.
An estimated 92% of the corn crop was in the dough stage, 3 percentage points ahead of both last year and the five-year average of 89%. Corn dented was estimated at 62%, 6 percentage points ahead of both last year and the five-year average of 56%.
Corn maturity stood at 13%, which was 1 percentage point behind last year’s 14% but equal to the five-year average.
Corn crop conditions were unchanged from the previous week, with 57% rated good to excellent. That was 12 percentage points below last year’s 69%. Seventeen percent of the crop was rated very poor to poor, unchanged from the previous week and 8 percentage points higher than last year’s 9%.
“Iowa remains the best rated at 77% good to excellent,” Dana Mantini said.
Soybean development also remained ahead of last year’s pace and the five-year average.
An estimated 95% of soybeans were setting pods, 2 percentage points ahead of both last year and the five-year average of 93%. Soybeans dropping leaves were estimated at 13%, 3 percentage points ahead of last year’s 10% and 4 percentage points above the five-year average of 9%.
Soybean crop conditions, however, declined from the previous week. NASS estimated 58% of soybeans were in good-to-excellent condition, down 2 percentage points from 60% the previous week and 7 percentage points below last year’s 65%.
Iowa again led the nation in soybean conditions, with 77% of the crop rated good to excellent. North Dakota had the lowest rating, with just 30% of soybeans rated good to excellent and 29% rated very poor to poor, Mantini said.
