The overall U.S. corn crop condition ratings dropped another 4 points this week.. That’s the steady theme since USDA introduced corn crop condition ratings this year. However, a couple key corn-producing states tumbled double digits in just a week, showing dryness may already be taking a toll on this year’s crop.
USDA says the nation’s corn crop is now sitting at 68% good to excellent, down from 72% last week. 27% of the crop nationally is considered to be in fair condition, with 5% poor to very poor. The newest report comes three week’s after UDSA said the crop was 76% good to excellent. The current ratings are also behind last year, when USDA said 71% of the crop was in good to excellent condition for this point in the calendar.
As for some of the top-watched corn-producing states, Iowa and Minnesota’s corn crops are now below the national average, with Iowa’s corn crop statewide considered at 63% good to excellent, down from the 77% condition rating posted last week. Minnesota’s condition rating sits at 58% good to excellent, down 10 points from the week prior.
USDA shows Illinois’ crop is the same as the national rating, with 68% good to excellent, 6 points lower than last week. Indiana’s conditions held steady at at 73% of the crop in the top two categories.
Even with rains in portions of North Dakota, USDA shows the state’s crop continues didn’t improve over the past week. Luckily conditions didn’t deteriorate either. The agency shows 42% of the crop is in the top two categories, the same as last week.
Soybeans Slip
The second week of soybean condition ratings also saw a decline. USDA says 62% of the crop is rated good to excellent, which is 5 points lower than the week prior and 10 percentage points worse than the same week last year. Of the 86% of the crop that’s already emerged, one-third is in fair condition, with 8% called poor to very poor.
North Dakota’s soybean crop is struggling the most this early in the season, with oy 24% in good to excellent condition, 46% is fair and 30% is rated poor to very poor.
Nebraska’s soybean crop is off to a vigorous start, with 87% of the crop in the top two condition categories. Even with flooding and all the recent rain, Louisiana’s crop posts a rating of 84% good to excellent.
