USDA Crop Progress Report - Corn, Soybean Conditions Hold Mostly Steady Week Ended July 31

OMAHA (DTN) -- The return of precipitation across parts of the country and a break in the extreme heat helped corn and soybean conditions remain mostly stable last week, USDA NASS reported in its weekly Crop Progress on Monday.

CORN

-- Crop development: 80% of corn was silking as of Sunday, July 29, according to NASS. That is 5 percentage points behind the five-year average of 85%. Corn in the dough stage was estimated at 26%, 5 percentage points behind the five-year average of 31%.

-- Crop condition: 61% of corn was rated in good-to-excellent condition, unchanged from the previous week and just 1 percentage point below last year's rating at this time of 62%. "The current rating is the third-lowest rating for corn since 2010," said DTN Senior Analyst Dana Mantini. "Illinois and Iowa are rated 74% and 76% good to excellent, respectively, with North Dakota and Wisconsin leading the pack, at 79% and 77% good to excellent, respectively. Tennessee, Kentucky and Kansas are the worst rated and range from 32% to 36% good to excellent."

SOYBEANS

-- Crop development: 79% of soybeans were blooming, 1 percentage point behind the five-year average of 80%. Forty-four percent of soybeans were setting pods, 7 percentage points behind the five-year average of 51%.

-- Crop condition: 60% of soybeans were rated in good-to-excellent condition, up 1 percentage point from 59% the previous week and now equal to last year's rating at this time. "That portion of the crop rated as poor to very poor is at 11%," Mantini said. "Illinois and Iowa are rated at 68% and 73% good to excellent, respectively, while Wisconsin is the best rated, at 77% good to excellent. Both South Dakota and Kentucky are struggling, at 38% and 42% good to excellent, respectively."

WINTER WHEAT

-- Harvest progress: 82% of the crop was harvested as of Sunday, 3 percentage points behind the five-year average of 85%. "Nebraska was 92% harvested, South Dakota was 77% finished and Montana was 32% finished with Northwestern states further behind," noted DTN Lead Analyst Todd Hultman.

SPRING WHEAT

-- Crop development: 97% of the crop was headed, now just 2 percentage points behind the five-year average of 99%.

-- Crop condition: 70% of the crop was rated in good-to-excellent condition, up 2 percentage points from 68% the previous week and far above last year's rating of 10%. "Minnesota posted a 10-percentage-point gain to 82% good to excellent, helping to offset a 9-percentage-point drop in South Dakota," Hultman said.

THE WEEK AHEAD IN WEATHER

"After some good rain fell over the southern end of the Corn Belt last week and from the Southern Plains through the Delta and Southeast over the weekend, this week will end up a bit drier," said DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick.

"Heat that was in the West this weekend and led to record temperatures in the Pacific Northwest has spread into the Plains with a ridge of high pressure. That ridge will be around all week long and cause temperatures to soar across the Plains and occasionally spread eastward as well.

"But little disturbances moving along the northern edge of the ridge across Canada will bring a couple of fronts through the Corn Belt this week. While showers will be very isolated through the Plains, they'll pick up some better moisture as they head southeast, leading to better shower coverage and intensity for the Eastern Corn Belt.

"The showers will also keep temperatures from becoming too extreme. These fronts do not have any cold air with them, so temperatures will remain high even after they pass through. I would imagine that places being left out of the showers will suffer more heat and drought stress there in the Plains, while the combination of higher temperatures and better moisture will fuel pollination and grain-fill for corn and soybeans farther east."

OBSERVATIONS FROM THE FIELD

Robert Urich via email on Tuesday, July 26: "In north-central Missouri, we are looking at the best corn crop potential we have ever had. All of our corn looks excellent and has never lacked moisture. Most of our soybeans look excellent, especially the April-planted ones. Some of the mid-May beans are good, but slightly behind the earlier beans in color and quality. Overall, however, most of our soybeans are excellent, with some good."