(Washington, D.C.) Soybean conditions improved for a second consecutive week, while U.S. corn conditions declined, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service’s weekly Crop Progress report released Monday.
According DTN, the latest ratings come as a heat wave begins to break. A cold front is pushing south, bringing cooler temperatures, scattered rainfall and the potential for severe weather, according to DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick.
Corn development continued to run ahead of both last year and the five-year average. NASS estimated that 59% of the crop had reached the silking stage, 6 percentage points ahead of last year’s 53% and 5 points above the five-year average of 54%.
Corn in the dough stage was estimated at 13%, unchanged from last year and 2 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 11%.
Corn condition ratings slipped during the week. NASS estimated 67% of the crop was in good-to-excellent condition, down 1 percentage point from 68% the previous week and 7 points below last year’s 74%.
The portion of the crop rated very poor to poor increased to 9%, up from 8% the previous week and 6% last year.
The Dakotas posted the largest weekly declines, as expected. North Dakota’s good-to-excellent corn rating fell 10 percentage points, while its very-poor-to-poor rating increased 6 points following a hot, dry week, according to DTN Lead Analyst Rhett Montgomery. Iowa’s corn crop was rated 78% good to excellent, compared with 66% in Indiana, 61% in Illinois and 47% in Kansas.
Soybean development also remained ahead of both last year and the five-year average. NASS estimated that 66% of soybeans were blooming, 6 percentage points ahead of both last year and the five-year average of 60%.
Soybeans setting pods were estimated at 32%, 8 percentage points ahead of both last year and the five-year average of 24%.
Soybean condition ratings improved for the second straight week. NASS estimated that 66% of emerged soybeans were in good-to-excellent condition, up 1 percentage point from 65% the previous week but 2 points below last year’s 68%.
Montgomery described the improvement as “a somewhat surprising turn of events,” noting that while the Dakotas led the weekly declines, conditions improved in top-producing Illinois and Iowa.
North Dakota’s soybean crop was rated 52% good to excellent, compared with 58% in South Dakota, 59% in Illinois and 79% in Iowa.
