USDA Crop Progress - Corn Rated 65% Good to Excellent, Soybeans 67% Good to Excellent as of Aug. 25

OMAHA (DTN) -- Corn and soybean good-to-excellent condition ratings fell at the national level last week following two weeks in a row of holding steady, USDA NASS reported in its weekly Crop Progress report on Monday.

Both crops also appear to be reaching maturity slightly ahead of their five-year averages, NASS reported.

CORN

-- Crop development: Corn in the dough stage was estimated at 84%, 1 percentage point behind last year's 85% but 1 point ahead of the five-year average of 83%. Corn dented was estimated at 46%, equal to last year but 4 points ahead of the five-year average of 42%. Corn mature was pegged at 11%, 3 points ahead of last year's 8% and 5 points ahead of the five-year average of 6%. "North Dakota corn is only 49% in dough, 19 points behind the average," noted DTN Senior Analyst Dana Mantini.

-- Crop condition: NASS estimated that 65% of the crop was in good-to-excellent condition, down 2 percentage points from 67% the previous week but still above last year's 56%. Thirteen percent of the crop was rated very poor to poor, up from 11% the previous week but below 17% last year. "Illinois' and Iowa's corn crops are rated 73% and 77% good to excellent, respectively, while North Carolina is the worst at 11% good to excellent and 73% poor to very poor," Mantini said.

SOYBEANS

-- Crop development: Soybeans setting pods were estimated at 89%, 1 point behind last year's 90% but 1 point ahead of the five-year average of 88%. Soybeans dropping leaves were pegged at 6%, 2 points ahead of both last year and the five-year average of 4%. "North Dakota is the laggard at just 77% setting pods, 15 points below the average," Mantini said.

-- Crop condition: NASS estimated that 67% of soybeans were in good-to-excellent condition, down 1 point from 68% the previous week but still above last year's rating of 58% good to excellent. "Illinois' and Iowa's soybeans are rated at 64% and 77% good to excellent, respectively, while Missouri is 75% good to excellent," Mantini noted. "Illinois' soybeans good-to-excellent rating slipped 6 points for the week."

SPRING WHEAT

-- Harvest progress: Spring wheat harvest picked up speed last week, jumping ahead 20 percentage points to reach 51% complete as of Sunday. That brought this year's harvest progress to within 1 point of last year's 50% and 2 points of the five-year average of 53%. "North Dakota and Minnesota each lag the average at 43% and 54% done, respectively, while South Dakota leads the pack at 83% harvested," Mantini said.

-- Crop condition: NASS estimated that 69% of the crop remaining in fields was in good-to-excellent condition nationwide, down 4 points from 73% the previous week. That remains well ahead of last year's rating of 37% good to excellent. "Minnesota's and North Dakota's spring wheat crops are rated high, at 83% and 77% good to excellent, respectively," Mantini said.

THE WEEK AHEAD IN WEATHER

This week is starting out hot but will end much cooler with a greater chance for more widespread showers, according to DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick

"It's starting out very hot and humid here for this week," Baranick said. "For those areas that are drier, it could be taking down some crop conditions quite a bit. Those across the South and Eastern Corn Belt are likely to suffer the most from these conditions.

"Rainfall is limited this week, too. A couple of disturbances are moving through the Northern Plains and across the northern tier of the country early this week, which will produce scattered showers and thunderstorms. With all the heat and humidity around, the risk of severe weather is higher as well. But these are likely to be limited areas, not widespread ones.

"But big changes are in store for later in the week. A big system and cold front will move into the Northern Plains on Wednesday, then push through most of the country on Thursday and Friday. It should bring widespread showers and thunderstorms and a big relief to temperatures, some 10-15 degrees off the highs, with lower humidity. The showers won't reach all areas, which is a concern for those that remain dry, but chances will occur for everyone east of the Rockies. The front will settle down near the Gulf Coast for the weekend, where it may produce more showers into next week for dry areas down there.

"The Northern Plains, and by extension the Canadian Prairies, have been dealing with showers and thunderstorms that have been moving through over the last two weeks that have made it a little more difficult to go out and harvest wheat and other small grains, and could have affected quality there. The front that comes through Wednesday and Thursday should put at least a temporary break in the rainfall for that area."

National Crop Progress Summary
	This	Last	Last	5-Year
	Week	Week	Year	Avg.
Corn Dough	84	74	85	83
Corn Dented	46	30	46	42
Corn Mature	11	5	8	6
Soybeans Setting Pods	89	81	90	88
Soybeans Dropping Leaves	6	NA	4	4
Spring Wheat Harvested	51	31	50	53
Cotton Setting Bolls	89	84	87	88
Cotton Bolls Opening	25	19	23	23
Sorghum Headed	90	83	87	88
Sorghum Coloring	48	39	45	46
Sorghum Mature	23	19	21	22
Sorghum Harvested	18	NA	16	18
Oats Harvested	78	67	79	81
Barley Harvested	47	30	58	61
Rice Headed	97	94	95	95
Rice Harvested	33	21	23	18

**

National Crop Condition Summary
(VP=Very Poor; P=Poor; F=Fair; G=Good; E=Excellent)
	This Week						Last Week						Last Year
	VP	P	F	G	E		VP	P	F	G	E		VP	P	F	G	E
Corn	5	8	22	49	16		4	7	22	51	16		6	11	27	47	9
Soybeans	2	7	24	54	13		2	6	24	54	14		4	10	28	48	10
Spring Wheat	3	7	21	56	13		1	4	22	61	12		4	20	39	34	3
Sorghum	7	13	32	40	8		6	12	33	42	7		9	15	31	37	8
Cotton	12	16	32	34	6		8	18	32	35	7		23	21	23	28	5
Rice	-	4	17	64	15		1	3	17	64	15		-	3	24	58	15
Barley	3	11	21	60	5		1	8	22	64	5		2	10	39	44	5