USDA Crop Progress Report - Corn Condition Holds Steady, Soy Condition Down Slightly Week Ended July 10

OMAHA (DTN) -- U.S. corn conditions held steady and soybean conditions fell just 1 percentage point last week thanks to timely rains across much of the Corn Belt, USDA NASS reported in its weekly Crop Progress on Monday. However, a return of hotter, drier weather across the western, central and northern U.S. later this week is likely to stress developing crops, according to DTN forecasters.

CORN

-- Crop development: 15% of corn was silking as of Sunday, July 10, according to NASS. That is 9 percentage points behind last year's 24% and 10 percentage points behind the five-year average of 25%. Corn in the dough stage was estimated at 2%, 1 percentage point behind both last year and five-year average of 3%.

-- Crop condition: 64% of corn was rated in good-to-excellent condition, unchanged from the previous week. The current rating is 1 percentage point below last year's rating at this time. "Lower ratings in Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Missouri were offset by higher ratings in Iowa, Ohio, Texas and North Dakota," noted DTN Lead Analyst Todd Hultman.

SOYBEANS

-- Crop development: 32% of soybeans were blooming, 6 percentage points behind the five-year average of 38%. Six percent of soybeans were setting pods, 3 percentage points behind the five-year average of 9%.

-- Crop condition: 62% of soybeans were rated in good-to-excellent condition, down 1 percentage points from 63% the previous week but still above last year's rating of 59% good to excellent at this time. "Lower ratings in Kentucky, Tennessee and Missouri slightly outweighed higher ratings from Nebraska, Wisconsin and Iowa," Hultman said.

WINTER WHEAT

-- Harvest progress: 63% of the crop was harvested as of Sunday, 6 percentage points ahead of last year and 2 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 61%. "Harvest in Kansas and Illinois was 95% and 92% finished, respectively, with Arkansas 99% done, Indiana 83% finished and Nebraska only one-third done at 36%," said DTN Senior Analyst Dana Mantini.

SPRING WHEAT

-- Crop development: 44% of the crop was headed, 37 percentage points behind last year's 81% and 33 percentage points behind the five-year average of 77%.

-- Crop condition: 70% of the crop was rated in good-to-excellent condition, up 4 percentage points from 66% the previous week and well above last year's rating of 16%. "Minnesota's spring wheat crop is rated 69% good to excellent, with North Dakota at 82% good to excellent," Mantini said. "South Dakota is just 66% good to excellent. Washington state leads the pack at 96% good to excellent."

THE WEEK AHEAD IN WEATHER

Farmers across the west, central and northern U.S. can expect hotter weather later this week and only isolated showers throughout the week, according to DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick. The only region forecast to be consistently wet this week is the Southeast.

"Overall, the weather conditions are going to become more unfavorable as corn and soybeans get further into their reproductive stages over the coming week," Baranick said. "We have a front moving through the country early this week, and it is offering some more seasonable temperatures for most of the country's growing regions, but that is going to be brief.

"An upper-level ridge of high pressure will spread from the Western states eastward late this week and weekend, and temperatures will increase with it. Another front is going to go through Northern states late this week and weekend out ahead of the heat, but forecasts are not pointing to much more than isolated showers and thunderstorms.

"The only place to be consistently wet is in the Southeast. A stalled front there early this week will be replaced by the one moving through the country early this week. Both will produce widespread showers that may include the southern Delta as well. If everything comes together, the tail end of those fronts could lie over the northern Gulf of Mexico, and a tropical system may be possible late this week and weekend. It doesn't look like it would be strong in terms of wind speeds, coastal flooding, or tornadoes, but could enhance the rainfall from Louisiana into the Carolinas."