USDA Weekly Crop Progress Report

This article was originally posted at 3:05 p.m. CDT on Monday, Sept. 30. It was last updated at 3:52 p.m. CDT on Monday, Sept. 30.

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OMAHA (DTN) -- With average freeze dates for much of the U.S. just weeks away, less than half of the corn crop and just over half of soybeans had reached maturity as of Sunday, Sept. 29, according to USDA NASS' latest Crop Progress report released Monday.

As of Sunday, corn dented was estimated at 88%, 10 percentage points behind the five-year average of 98%. Forty-three percent of corn was estimated as mature, still far behind 84% at the same time last year and 30 percentage points behind the five-year average of 73%. The percentage of the crop that has reached maturity slipped further behind average than the previous week, when maturity was running 28 percentage points behind average.

"Michigan has the lowest rate of denting at 72% with Ohio, North Dakota and Wisconsin all well behind average," said DTN Senior Analyst Dana Mantini.

Nationwide, corn harvest progressed 4 percentage points to reach 11% as of Sunday, behind last year's 25% and 8 percentage points behind the five-year average of 19%.

The condition of corn still in fields was estimated at 57% good to excellent, unchanged from the previous week, and still the lowest good-to-excellent rating for the crop at this time of year since 2013. The poor-to-very-poor category moved up 1 percentage point to 14%.

Soybeans dropping leaves reached 55% as of Sunday, 21 percentage points behind the five-year average of 76% -- a slight improvement from the previous week when the percent of soybeans dropping leaves was running 25 percentage points behind average. Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin soybeans were the furthest behind in reaching maturity.

In its first soybean harvest report of the season, NASS estimated that 7% of the crop was harvested, 13 percentage points behind the five-year average of 20%.

Soybean condition improved 1 percentage point from the previous week to reach 55% good to excellent as of Sunday. As with corn, that remains the lowest good-to-excellent rating in six years.

"Nebraska had the highest soybean condition rating at 75% good to excellent, while Indiana and Ohio had the worst condition ratings at 31% and 34%, respectively," Mantini said.

Spring wheat harvest inched ahead another 3 percentage points to reach 90% as of Sunday, 9 percentage points behind the five-year average of 99%.

Winter wheat planting progress pulled slightly ahead of the average pace, reaching 39% as of Sunday compared to 38% for the five-year average. Winter wheat emerged was estimated at 11%, also near last year's 12% and the five-year average of 13%.

Sorghum coloring was estimated at 95%, equal to the five-year average. Sorghum mature was estimated at 54%, behind the average of 63%. Sorghum harvested reached 30%, behind the five-year average of 35%. Barley harvested reached 96%, behind the average of 100%.

Cotton bolls opening was estimated at 77%, ahead of the average of 67%. Cotton harvested was estimated at 16%, slightly ahead of the five-year average of 16%. Rice harvested was 68%, slightly behind the average of 71%.

To view weekly crop progress reports issued by National Ag Statistics Service offices in individual states, visit http://www.nass.usda.gov/…. Look for the U.S. map in the "Find Data and Reports by" section and choose the state you wish to view in the drop-down menu. Then look for that state's "Crop Progress & Condition" report.

National Crop Progress Summary
	This	Last	Last	5-Year
	Week	Week	Year	Avg.
Corn Dented	88	79	100	98
Corn Mature	43	29	84	73
Corn Harvested	11	7	25	19
Soybeans Dropping Leaves	55	34	81	76
Soybeans Harvested	7	NA	22	20
Spring Wheat Harvested	90	87	100	99
Winter Wheat Planted	39	22	41	38
Winter Wheat Emerged	11	NA	12	13
Cotton Bolls Opening	77	64	66	67
Cotton Harvested	16	11	19	14
Sorghum Coloring	95	90	97	95
Sorghum Mature	54	42	60	63
Sorghum Harvested	30	26	33	35
Barley Harvested	96	92	100	100
Rice Harvested	68	58	69	71

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National Crop Condition Summary
(VP = Very Poor; P = Poor; F = Fair; G = Good; E = Excellent)
	This Week					Last Week					Last Year
	VP	P	F	G	E	VP	P	F	G	E	VP	P	F	G	E
Corn	4	10	29	46	11	3	10	30	46	11	4	8	19	47	22
Soybeans	3	10	32	46	9	3	10	33	45	9	3	7	22	49	19
Cotton	3	17	40	34	6	3	16	42	32	7	6	19	33	32	10
Sorghum	2	6	27	50	15	2	6	27	51	14	6	11	29	44	10

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National Soil Moisture Condition - 48 States
(VS = Very Short; SH = Short; AD = Adequate; SR = Surplus)
	This Week				Last Week				Last Year
	VS	SH	AD	SR	VS	SH	AD	SR	VS	SH	AD	SR
Topsoil Moisture	11	20	55	14	11	22	55	12	7	16	64	13
Subsoil Moisture	10	20	59	11	9	23	58	10	9	19	62	10

Anthony Greder can be reached at anthony.greder@dtn.com

Follow him on Twitter @AGrederDTN

(AG)

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