USDA Crop Progress - Corn Harvest 65% Done, Soybean Harvest 81% Complete as of Oct. 20

OMAHA (DTN) -- Both the U.S. corn and soybean harvests are now double digits ahead of their five-year averages as dry weather continued across most of the country last week, USDA NASS reported in its weekly Crop Progress report on Monday.

CORN

-- Crop development: Corn mature was pegged at 98%, 1 point ahead of last year's 97% and 3 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 95%.

-- Harvest progress: Corn harvest moved ahead 18 percentage points nationally to reach 65% complete as of Sunday. That was 10 points ahead of last year's 55% and 13 points ahead of the five-year average of 52%. Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin were all ahead of their five-year averages.

SOYBEANS

-- Harvest progress: Soybean harvest slowed last week, moving ahead 14 percentage points to reach 81% complete as of Sunday. That was still 9 points ahead of last year's 72% and 14 points ahead of the five-year average of 67%. "Key states Illinois and Iowa are 76% and 91% harvested, respectively, with Minnesota now 95% done," noted DTN Senior Analyst Dana Mantini.

WINTER WHEAT

-- Planting progress: Winter wheat planting also slowed last week, moving ahead 9 points to reach 73% complete nationwide as of Sunday, 1 point behind last year's 74% and 3 points behind the five-year average of 76%. Oklahoma continued to be the furthest behind at 55% planted, 16 points behind the state's five-year average of 71%.

-- Crop development: An estimated 46% of winter wheat had emerged as of Sunday, 3 points behind last year's 49% and 4 points behind the five-year average of 50%.

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THE WEEK AHEAD IN WEATHER

Dry conditions and near- to above-normal temperatures are expected to continue for most of the country this week, although the Central Plains and Corn Belt could see some showers, according to DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick.

"It continues to be very dry across most of the country, keeping harvest windows pretty wide open but soil moisture very low," Baranick said. "We do have a few interesting weather items this week, though.

"An upper-level low-pressure center is moving through the Central Plains Monday and bringing some areas of showers. That will get into the Midwest for Tuesday where showers will fizzle out. A front will move through the northern half of the country Tuesday and Wednesday. Most of the rainfall activity will be along the northern border or more likely north into Canada, but there could be some. And a small system is likely to move through the Corn Belt for Thursday and Friday. Models are trying to figure out just how widespread and heavy the rain may be, but it does not look like it would really disrupt the harvest, or bring moisture to soils for winter wheat, which are not having the best conditions for establishment this fall. Winds may be breezy at times with these disturbances moving through, which could lead to issues for fires throughout the week as well.

"It continues to be awfully warm, too. Some areas are going to be more than 20 degrees above normal early this week. The aforementioned disturbances will knock that down a bit, and even the eastern Midwest could get a touch on the cool side this weekend, but even with the seesawing temperatures, highs and lows will either be near or above normal all week long in most of the country.

"The Pacific Northwest will be the only real outlier, with more chances for meaningful rainfall and cooler-than-average temperatures, which will largely be a good thing for winter wheat establishment there."

National Crop Progress Summary
	This	Last	Last	5-Year
	Week	Week	Year	Avg.
Corn Mature	98	94	97	95
Corn Harvested	65	47	55	52
Soybeans Harvested	81	67	72	67
Winter Wheat Planted	73	64	74	76
Winter Wheat Emerged	46	35	49	50
Cotton Bolls Opening	94	88	89	91
Cotton Harvested	44	34	39	38
Sorghum Mature	95	89	95	94
Sorghum Harvested	64	53	63	61
Rice Harvested	96	91	90	92

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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
Cotton	15	18	30	31	6		11	23	32	29	5		24	19	28	24	5