News

U.S. corn and soybean condition ratings dip slightly

Corn and soybean conditions declined modestly ahead of widespread harvest in the U.S. Corn Belt with both rated 53% good to excellent.

USDA says soybean conditions had the greatest decline in the last week, previously rated 58% good to excellent. As of Sunday, 16% of the soybeans have started dropping their leaves, ahead of average, led by the Delta states.

Corn conditions are a decline of 3 percentage points from the previous week and slightly behind the year ago pace. 18% of the U.S. corn crop is mature, slightly ahead of average.

Spring wheat harvest continues at 74% complete, slightly behind average for this time of the year. Winter wheat planting has just begun with 1% of the crop planted, behind last year and the average.

USDA says U.S. cotton conditions are rated 31% good to excellent, a slight decline from the previous week and below last year. 32% of cotton bolls are opening across the country.

Rice conditions are rated 70% good to excellent, a slight decline from the previous week and year. Rice harvest is 34% complete, ahead of last year and the average.

Sorghum conditions are rated 44% good to excellent, a slight decline from the previous week. Harvest is advancing in Texas and just beginning in Kansas, with 19% of the crop harvested.

Pasture and rangeland conditions are rated 36% good to excellent, an improvement from the previous week and this time last year.

The USDA’s weekly crop progress and condition reports run through the end of November.