USDA Crop Progress Report - Corn Condition Up Only 1 Point Following Rains; Soy Condition Down 1 Point

OMAHA (DTN) -- After falling for three weeks in a row, corn condition improved last week, but just by 1 percentage point, according to USDA NASS' weekly Crop Progress report released Monday. Soybean condition, on the other hand, logged its fourth weekly decline during the week ended July 2.

More widespread rain and cooler weather is in the forecast for the coming week, which should be beneficial for crops in many areas of the country, according to DTN forecasts.

CORN

-- Crop progress: 8% of corn was silking, just slightly ahead of 7% last year and slightly behind the five-year average of 9%.

-- Crop condition: Nationally, corn was rated 51% good to excellent, up just 1 percentage point from 50% the previous week and down from 64% a year ago at this time. This year's current rating is now the lowest for the crop for this time of year since 2012. "Illinois corn was rated 36% good to excellent, Missouri just 23% and Michigan just 33% good to excellent," said DTN Senior Analyst Dana Mantini.

SOYBEANS

-- Crop progress: 24% of soybeans were blooming, 9 percentage points ahead of 15% last year and 4 points ahead of the five-year average of 20%. Soybeans setting pods was pegged at 4%, slightly ahead of last year's 3% and 2 points ahead of the average of 2%.

-- Crop condition: Soybeans were rated 50% good to excellent as of Sunday, down 1 percentage point from 51% last week and down from 63% a year ago at this time. Like corn, soybean's current rating is the lowest since 2012. "Illinois soybeans improved to 30% good to excellent, but still 26% poor to very poor," Mantini said. "Missouri and Michigan were a poor 24% and 30% good to excellent, respectively."

WINTER WHEAT

-- Harvest progress: 37% of the crop was harvested as of Sunday, up 13 points from the previous week but still 9 points behind the five-year average pace of 46%. "Forty-six percent of Kansas wheat was harvested, below its five-year average of 63% for this time of year," noted DTN Lead Analyst Todd Hultman.

-- Crop condition: Nationwide, winter wheat was rated 40% good to excellent, unchanged from the previous week and ahead of last year's rating at this time of 31% good to excellent.

SPRING WHEAT

-- Crop progress: 51% of spring wheat was headed as of Sunday, 5 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 46%.

-- Crop condition: USDA said 48% of the spring wheat crop was rated good to excellent as of July 2, down 2 percentage points from last week's 50%, and down from 66% a year ago. "Forty percent of the spring wheat crop in North Dakota was rated good to excellent, down from 49% a week ago," Hultman said.

WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR THE WEEK AHEAD

More chances for widespread rainfall and a break from the heat are forecast for the coming week, Baranick said. These conditions should be beneficial for developing crops in many areas of the country.

"After some good rainfall last week, we've got another week of what should be described as really good weather yet again," Baranick said. "A front continues over Southern areas of the country through most of the week. In the Northern Plains, a cold front is dropping through the region on Monday and will slowly spread through the entire Corn Belt this week. Not only will the front produce widespread areas of showers and thunderstorms, but it will also usher in much cooler temperatures. Ahead of the front, many areas will reach into the 90s Fahrenheit. But behind it, temperatures will drop at least 15 degrees, if not more. Areas in the Northern and Central Plains will have a couple of days with highs in the 60s and 70s after the front passes through. The drop in temperatures should reduce stress for drier areas, including those that get missed by rains from the front.

"But this isn't the only opportunity for rain. A system will move through the majority of the Corn Belt Friday through the weekend and is forecast to produce more widespread rainfall. A front will quickly move in behind it this weekend into early next week, and models are suggesting another good round of showers and thunderstorms, all while temperatures remain mild. Rain is coming at a good time for the driest areas of the country. And while not all areas will be hit with good rainfall, the coverage should be widespread enough to have significant positive impacts on crop conditions."