USDA Crop Progress/Condition Report Summary

Monday night's eagerly-awaited crop progress and crop condition report from the USDA is summarised below:

CORN

Corn was seen 97% planted as of Sunday night, compared to 99% normally, but ahead of year-ago levels of 93% when seedings were even more acutely affected by excess rainfall. Illinois has caught up well at 93% done versus 99% normally, whilst Indiana still lags at 90% complete against 98% normally. That still amounts to 1.4 million acres in those two states alone, and the deadline for fully claiming the crop insurance has now passed. Nationally, 87% of the crop is emerged, compared to 94% normally, whilst the percentage of the crop rated good/excellent is down one point on last week to 69%.

SOYBEANS

Beans are seen 78% planted, compared to 87% normally and 76% a year ago. Illinois is still well behind at 59% done as opposed to 88% normally. The crop is 55% emerged, up from 36% a week ago, and actually ahead of the "normal" pace of 51%.

WINTER WHEAT

Winter wheat is showing at 5% harvested, compared to 10% normally at this time of year. The USDA say that nationally 44% of the crop is rated good/excellent, down one point from a week ago.

SPRING WHEAT

The spring wheat crop is 96% planted, compared with 100% normally at this time of year, up from 89% a week ago, but also behind last year's pace of 100%. In the top-producing state of North Dakota 94% of the crop is now in the ground, compared to 99% normally and 100% a year ago. We are now well past the cut-off point for farmers fully claiming on their crop insurance for spring wheat, and it must be highly questionable how much of the remainder will actually now go into wheat. Spring wheat crop conditions are running at 72% good/excellent, down one point on a week ago.