The condition of this year’s corn crop is drastically different across the Corn Belt. Pockets of Central Illinois, Eastern Iowa, and Indiana have reported corn beginning to tassel, while farmers in the Western Corn Belt continue to deal with wet and flooded fields. Yet, in Monday’s crop condition report, the USDA made no changes to crop ratings from a week ago. The USDA put corn conditions at 75% of the crop rated “Good” or “Excellent”, unchanged from the previous week, but a 7% increase from last year; 20% was considered “Fair” down 1% from last week, while only 5% was considered “Poor” or “Very Poor.” Corn silking was reported at 15%, a 10% increase from last week, but 3% behind the five-year average.
Soybean emergence was reported at 98% in the last week it will be reported this year. That is a 4% increase from last week and 1% ahead of the five-year average. Soybean conditions were reported with 72% of the crop in “Good” or “Excellent” condition, unchanged from last week, but a 5% increase from last year; 23% was reported in “Fair” condition, while only 5% was reported as “Poor” or “Very Poor.” Soybeans blooming were reported at 24% this week, up 14% from last year, and 3% ahead of the five-year average. Some market sources had been expecting a slight decline in soybean ratings because of the wet conditions.
The winter wheat crop was reported 57% harvested, up 14% from last week, but 3% behind the five-year average. There was a slight change in the conditions report for wheat; 31% was rated “Good” or “Excellent” a 1% increase from last week; 25% was rated “Fair” a 1% decrease from last week; and “Poor” or “Very Poor” rated crop was unchanged at 44%.
The USDA World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimate (WASDE) report will be released on Friday. It will give a better idea of the USDA’s expectation for this year’s corn crop following the extensive amount of flooding, hail, and wind experienced by farmers in the Western Corn Belt throughout June.