USDA Crop Progress Report - Corn Condition Down Slightly, Soybean Condition Unchanged Week Ended Aug. 28

OMAHA (DTN) -- Corn condition fell slightly again last week, while soybean condition held steady, USDA NASS reported in its weekly Crop Progress report released Monday, Aug. 29.

The percentage of corn reaching maturity was near the five-year average, while the percentage of soybeans dropping leaves was behind the average pace, NASS said.

CORN

-- Crop development: Corn in the dough stage was estimated at 86%, 2 percentage points behind the five-year average of 88%. Corn dented was estimated at 46%, 6 percentage points behind the average of 52%. Corn mature was estimated at 8%, near the five-year average of 9%.

-- Crop condition: 54% of corn was rated in good-to-excellent condition, down 1 percentage point from 55% the previous week and 5 percentage points below last year's rating of 60%. The current rating is the fourth lowest going back to 2000, according to DTN Senior Analyst Dana Mantini. "Wisconsin and Illinois are the best rated at 76% and 69% good to excellent, respectively," Mantini said. "Kansas is the worst, at just 22% good to excellent."

SOYBEANS

-- Crop development: 91% of soybeans were setting pods, 1 percentage point behind the five-year average of 92%. Four percent of soybeans were dropping leaves, 4 percentage points behind last year's 8% and 3 percentage points behind the five-year average of 7%.

-- Crop condition: 57% of soybeans were rated in good-to-excellent condition, unchanged from the previous week and still 1 percentage point above last year's rating of 56%. The current rating is tied for the seventh lowest since 2000, Mantini said. "Wisconsin and Illinois soybeans are the best, at 74% and 66% good to excellent, respectively, while Kansas is again the worst, at just 27% good to excellent," he said.

SPRING WHEAT

-- Harvest progress: Spring wheat harvest moved ahead 17 percentage points last week to reach 50% complete as of Sunday. That is 36 percentage points behind last year's 86% and 21 percentage points behind the five-year average of 71%.

-- Crop condition: 68% of the crop remaining in fields was rated in good-to-excellent condition, up 4 percentage points from 64% previous week and far above last year's rating of 11%. "Minnesota fell 3 points to a still-best 85% good to excellent, and North Dakota rose 2 points to 76% good to excellent," Mantini said. "Washington state is rated at 94% good to excellent."