U.S. corn and soybean condition ratings held fairly steady this week. According to USDA’s latest Crop Progress Report, the corn crop nationwide is rated 64% good to excellent, the same as a week ago but off by 7 percentage points versus 2020. Soybean ratings nationally declined, but only by 1 point.
Breaking it down by state:
- Iowa’s corn condition rating improved over the past week, up 2 points, to hit 62% good to excellent.
- Illinois saw corn ratings decline, down 3 points to 65% in good-to-excellent condition.
- Indiana’s crop remained unchanged.
- None of South Dakota’s corn falls in the excellent category, with 24% rated good.
- North Dakota’s corn crop fell 5 points, with 35% in good-to-excellent condition.
As for soybeans, the 59% good-to-excellent rating is 1 point lower than last week and behind this time when USDA showed 71% of the nation’s soybeans were rated good-to-excellent.
In Illinois, the condition of the crop seems to be trending lower, with 71% considered good to excellent, down from 67% last week. The soybean crop in Indiana dropped a point, with 70% now rated in the top two categories. North Dakota’s good-to-excellent crop rating dropped 6 points to 19%. The soybeans in South Dakota are also struggling with 24% of the state’s crop rated good and none of the crop considered excellent. That compares to last week’s rating of 26% good and 1% excellent.
Iowa’s soybean crop saw a boost, with conditions improving 1 point in a week’s time, now at 59% good to excellent.
Forecasted rains in key areas could help ratings improve in some areas, but the spring wheat crop continues to decline. USDA says 16% of spring wheat nationwide is rated good to excellent, down 4 points from the previous week.
