USDA Crop Progress Report - Corn Condition Holds Steady, Soybean Condition Down Slightly Week Ended July 23

OMAHA (DTN) -- After improving the past few weeks, the national corn condition rating held steady last week, and soybean conditions fell slightly, according to USDA NASS' weekly Crop Progress report released Monday. A heatwave forecast for much of the country this week will likely put even more pressure on crop conditions.

CORN

-- Crop progress: 68% of corn was silking as of Sunday, July 23, 10 percentage points ahead of 58% last year and 3 points ahead of the five-year average of 65%. Corn in the dough stage was pegged at 16%, 4 percentage points ahead of last year and 2 percentage points ahead of the five-year average rating of 14%.

-- Crop condition: Nationally, corn was rated 57% good to excellent, unchanged from the previous week and still below 61% a year ago at this time. Rating increases were noted in Texas, Kentucky, Kansas and Illinois, said DTN Lead Analyst Todd Hultman.

SOYBEANS

-- Crop progress: 70% of soybeans were blooming, 8 percentage points ahead of 62% last year and 4 points ahead of the five-year average of 66%. Soybeans setting pods was pegged at 35%, 11 percentage points ahead of last year's 24% and 4 points ahead of the average of 31%.

-- Crop condition: Soybeans were rated 54% good to excellent as of Sunday, down 1 percentage point from 55% last week and below 59% a year ago at this time. "Notable declines in ratings were seen in Tennessee, Minnesota and Missouri," Hultman said.

WINTER WHEAT

-- Harvest progress: 68% of the crop was harvested as of Sunday, up 12 points from the previous week and now 9 points behind the five-year average pace of 77%. "Kansas' winter wheat is 87% harvested compared to the average of 98%," noted DTN Senior Analyst Dana Mantini. "Nebraska and Colorado are well behind their averages at 43% and 48% harvested, respectively."

SPRING WHEAT

-- Crop progress: 94% of spring wheat was headed as of Sunday, 1 percentage point ahead of the five-year average of 93%.

-- Crop condition: USDA said 49% of the spring wheat crop was rated good to excellent as of July 23, down 2 percentage points from last week's 51%, and below 68% a year ago. "Good-to-excellent ratings for North Dakota gained 3 points to 54%," Mantini said. "Minnesota fell 4 points to 74%, while South Dakota was rated just 29% good to excellent."

WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR THE WEEK AHEAD

A heatwave is in store for much of the country this week, which is likely to put stress on maturing crops, according to DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick.

"It's going to be a hot week across most of the U.S. as a ridge spreads from the West this week," Baranick said. "Temperatures will soar into the 90s Fahrenheit for most places east of the Rockies. And between the Rockies and Mississippi River, it will be common to hit the triple-digit mark. Some spots in Illinois, Delta and Southeast may also see the dreaded 100-degree readings. The heat should cause incredible stress for vulnerable corn and soybeans, especially with so much drought across the Corn Belt.

"There should be some rain moving through, though. The northern edge of the heat dome is a good spot for producing areas of thunderstorms, and potentially severe, but they are forecast to be isolated this week. Only limited areas are going to see relief from the heat.

"That changes later in the week, though. A system moving through Canada is forecast to bring its cold front through the Corn Belt Friday through the weekend. Temperatures behind the front should drop a good 10-20 degrees, relieving some of the stress. With the extreme heat and humidity ahead of the front, there is plenty of energy for producing widespread thunderstorms as the front passes through, though not all areas will receive the needed rainfall. Heat will continue south of the front into next week, which looks like it will include at least the Southern Plains and Gulf Coast states."