Market News & Headlines >> Corn Conditions Improve, Soybean Rating Steady

The condition of the U.S. corn crop improved last week as drier weather helped the crop in the eastern Midwest, while timely rains maintained favorable conditions in the western part of the region.

The U.S. soybean crop rating was unchanged, though, as limited crop improvement in the eastern Midwest was offset by a slight deterioration in conditions elsewhere.

USDA rated U.S. corn conditions 70% good/excellent, up 1 percentage point from a week earlier, but still 5 points below a year earlier. U.S. soybean conditions were rated by the agency at 62% good/excellent, unchanged from a week earlier and 9 points below a year earlier.

USDA estimated 78% of the U.S. corn crop had silked as of Sunday, 3 points ahead of last year and 1 point ahead of the five-year average, with 14% of the crop I n the dough stage compared with 15% last year and the average of 17%. For soybeans, 71% of the U.S. crop was said to be blooming versus 74% last year and the average of 72%. Some 34% of the crop was setting pods vs. 35% last year and the avg. pace of 31%.

Corn conditions showed modest improvement in the eastern Corn Belt, with the good/excellent rating rising 2 points in Illinois to 57% and 1 point in both Indiana and Ohio to 46% and 47% respectively. Meanwhile, the corn condition rating for the top state of Iowa was steady at 83% good/excellent, while the good/excellent rating improved another point in Minnesota to a stellar 87%.

The good/excellent rating for Illinois soybeans also improved 2 percentage points to 49%, but Indiana’s was only up 1 point at 41%, with Ohio unchanged at 41% and Missouri up 1 point at 30%. Crop conditions remained very favorable in the northwest Midwest, though, with 77% of the Iowa crop rated good/excellent, along with 80% of the Minnesota crop, 81% of the North Dakota crop, 76% of the South Dakota crop and 84% of the Wisconsin crop.