Final 2023 USDA Crop Progress Report - Corn 96% Harvested, Winter Wheat Condition 50% Good to Excellent

OMAHA (DTN) -- About 4% of corn was left to harvest nationally as of Sunday, Nov. 26, and half of the new winter wheat crop was rated in good-to-excellent condition, USDA NASS reported in its final national Crop Progress report of 2023 on Monday. The weekly reports will resume on Monday, April 1, 2024.

CORN

-- Harvest progress: Corn harvest inched ahead 3 percentage points last week to reach 96% complete as of Sunday. That is 3 percentage points behind last year's pace of 99% but 1 percentage point ahead of 95% for the five-year average. "Michigan and Ohio are the only two laggards at 79% and 80% complete, respectively," noted DTN Senior Analyst Dana Mantini.

WINTER WHEAT

-- Crop progress: 91% of the winter wheat crop had emerged as of Sunday, 1 point ahead of last year's 90% and 2 points ahead of the five-year average of 89%.

-- Crop condition: Winter wheat condition was rated 50% good to excellent, up 2 percentage points from 48% the previous week and well above 34% at this time a year ago. "Kansas' winter wheat crop condition is rated at just 32% good to excellent," Mantini noted.

WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR THE WEEK AHEAD

Snow in the northern and eastern portions of the Corn Belt could hamper what remains of the corn harvest, while precipitation in the Central Plains and Southern Plains should benefit winter wheat, according to DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick.

"Snow and cold over the weekend will make it difficult for those in the northern and Eastern Corn Belt to get much work done this week if they have tasks yet to complete," Baranick said. "The cold will produce lake-effect snow near the Great Lakes through Wednesday before those dry up.

"Heavy snow in parts of the Central Plains will gradually melt away, increasing soil moisture for winter wheat as temperatures rise through the weekend in most places.

"A couple of storm systems will develop in the Southern Plains and move northeast through the country. One will occur Thursday and Friday, and the other this weekend into early next week. Both will produce scattered showers and could be heavy for those in the southeastern quadrant of the country, which will help to ease drought conditions as the country prepares to go into winter."