USDA Weekly Crop Progress Report

Corn Condition Up Slightly as Gains in South Dakota, Iowa, Michigan Outweigh Losses in Other States

Anthony Greder
By  Anthony Greder , DTN/Progressive Farmer Content Manager
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In its weekly Crop Progress report Monday, USDA NASS said 65% of the U.S. corn crop was rated good to excellent as of July 11, 2021, up 1 percentage point from the previous week and tied with the same rating in 2017 for this time of year. (DTN graphic)

This article was originally published at 3:06 p.m. CDT on Monday, July 12. It was last updated at 3:53 p.m. CDT on Monday, July 12.

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OMAHA (DTN) -- The condition of the nation's corn crop did something last week it hasn't done in a while -- it improved, albeit just slightly, USDA NASS said in its weekly Crop Progress report on Monday.

Nationwide, corn condition was rated 65% good to excellent as of Sunday, July 11, up 1 percentage point from 64% the previous week. The current rating is the same as this time in 2017.

"Rating gains in South Dakota, Iowa and Michigan slightly won out over declines in Nebraska, Kansas, Illinois and Colorado," said DTN Lead Analyst Todd Hultman.

Corn silking was estimated at 26%, the same as last year but 4 percentage points behind the five-year average of 40%. Corn in the dough stage was estimated at 3%, on par with both last year and the five-year average.

Meanwhile, soybean conditions held steady last week at 59%, though that's still the third-lowest rating in 12 years, Hultman said.

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"Crop rating declines in Illinois and Kansas were offset by higher ratings in Iowa and South Dakota," Hultman said.

NASS estimated that 46% of the crop was blooming as of Sunday, equal to last year's pace but 6 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 40%. Ten percent of soybeans were setting pods, equal to the five-year average.

For the first time in several weeks, spring wheat condition also held steady from the previous week, though it remains at an abysmal 16% good to excellent, still the lowest good-to-excellent rating since 1988.

"That portion of the crop rated poor to very poor rose by another 5 percentage points to 55% poor to very poor," said DTN Senior Analyst Dana Mantini. "Minnesota is 28% good to excellent and 33% poor to very poor, while North Dakota is 16% good to excellent and 54% poor to very poor, and South Dakota is just 3% good to excellent and 71% poor to very poor. Washington state is rated as 83% poor to very poor."

Eighty-three percent of the spring wheat crop was headed, 2 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 81%.

Winter wheat harvest progressed 14 percentage points during the week to reach 59% complete as of Sunday. That is 6 percentage points behind the five-year average of 65%. NASS is no longer reporting conditions for this year's winter wheat crop.

The following are some other highlights from this week's Crop Progress report:

Sorghum headed was 29%, 1 percentage point behind average. Sorghum coloring was pegged at 15%, also 1 percentage point behind average. Sorghum condition was rated 70% good to excellent.

Cotton squaring was 55%, 6 percentage points behind average. Cotton setting bolls was 16%, 4 percentage points behind the average pace of 20%. Cotton condition was rated 56% good to excellent, up 4 percentage points from the previous week.

Rice was 21% headed, 4 percentage points behind the average pace of 25%. Rice condition was rated 71% good to excellent, down 2 percentage points from the previous week.

Oats headed was at 94% and 11% of the crop was harvested. Oats were rated 35% in good-to-excellent condition, up 1 percentage point from the previous week. Barley was 78% headed, equal to the five-year average. Barley condition was rated 24% good to excellent, up 2 percentage points from the previous week.

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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 Silking 26 10 26 30
Corn Dough 3 NA 3 3
Soybeans Blooming 46 29 46 40
Soybeans Setting Pods 10 3 10 10
Cotton Squaring 55 42 61 61
Cotton Setting Bolls 16 11 17 20
Winter Wheat Harvested 59 45 66 65
Spring Wheat Headed 83 69 78 81
Sorghum Headed 29 22 27 28
Sorghum Coloring 15 14 15 16
Oats Headed 94 88 92 91
Oats Harvested 11 NA 11 12
Barley Headed 78 59 73 78
Rice Headed 21 14 23 25

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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 2 6 27 51 14 2 7 27 50 14 2 6 23 52 17
Soybeans 3 8 30 49 10 3 8 30 49 10 2 5 25 54 14
Spring Wheat 21 34 29 15 1 18 32 34 14 2 2 6 24 57 11
Cotton 1 8 35 44 12 1 9 38 44 8 4 22 30 36 8
Sorghum 1 4 25 57 13 1 3 24 58 14 3 13 38 39 7
Oats 11 21 33 30 5 9 21 36 29 5 2 8 29 50 11
Barley 16 27 33 20 4 13 26 39 15 7 1 4 26 46 23
Rice 1 4 24 55 16 1 3 23 57 16 - 2 24 56 18

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

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Anthony Greder

Anthony Greder
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