USDA Crop Progress Report Pegs Corn at 20% Harvested, Soybeans at 22%

OMAHA (DTN) -- Corn and soybean harvest both remained slightly behind the average pace last week, USDA NASS reported in its weekly Crop Progress report on Monday.

CORN

-- Harvest progress: 20% of corn was harvested as of Sunday, Oct. 2, up 8 percentage points from the previous week. That puts the current harvest progress 7 percentage points behind last year and 2 percentage point behind the five-year average. "North Carolina and Texas lead the way at 81% and 80% harvested, respectively, with southern states Tennessee, Kentucky and Kansas all 50% harvested or more. Mega producers Iowa and Illinois are 11% and 13% harvested." said DTN Lead Analyst Todd Hultman.

-- Crop development: Corn dented was estimated at 96%, 1 percentage point behind the average. Corn mature was estimated at 75%, even with the five-year average.

-- Crop condition: 52% of corn was rated in good-to-excellent condition, unchanged from the previous week and 7 percentage points below last year's rating of 59%.

SOYBEANS

-- Harvest progress: 22% of the crop was harvested as of Sunday, up 14 percentage points from the previous week. That is 9 percentage points behind last year and 3 percentage points behind the five-year average. "South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska are a little ahead of their usual paces, while soybeans are coming out slower than normal in Illinois, Indiana and Ohio," Hultman said.

-- Crop development: 81% of soybeans were dropping leaves, 2 percentage points ahead of the five-year average.

-- Crop condition: 55% of soybeans were rated in good-to-excellent condition, unchanged from the previous week and 3 percentage points below last year's rating of 58%.

WINTER WHEAT

"USDA said 40% of the winter wheat crop was planted as of Oct. 2, slightly below the five-year average of 44% for this time of year. South Dakota, Montana, Washington, and Nebraska are 65% to 69% planted, while top-producing Kansas was 30% planted, 9 percentage points below its five-year average," DTN Senior Analyst Dana Mantini said.

-- Crop development: 15% of winter wheat was emerged as of Sunday, 2 percentage points behind the five-year average.

WEEK AHEAD IN WEATHER

Many farmers should see favorable conditions for harvest this week, according to DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick.

"Overall, good conditions continue for harvest this week. A small system in the northern Rockies will push across the Corn Belt through Wednesday but rainfall will be isolated and overall pretty light," Baranick said.

"A strong cold front will move in behind that system and sweep across the country east of the Rockies. It also won't have much precipitation with it, but it will cool down weather significantly. As the air mass settles in, skies clear and winds calm, widespread frosts and freezes will be possible from Colorado to Kentucky and points northward Friday through Sunday mornings depending on location.

"The spot that could really use the rainfall, in the southwestern Plains, will see some areas of showers with the system and behind the front, but overall amounts are not going to be enough to combat the ongoing drought. Still, the showers will be welcome where they occur for wheat establishment. The area from the northern Delta through the Midwest will see very little and soil moisture continues to run short in a lot of these areas for winter wheat establishment, along with the Pacific Northwest," Baranick concluded.