With almost one-fifth of the corn crop reaching maturity, and over half of the overall crop denting, the corn harvest has started. As of Aug. 20, 4% of the 2012 corn crop has been harvested. Four percent of the soybean crop is dropping leaves, and overall soybean condition gained a point in the good-to-excellent rating category.

Two big pieces of news for the 2012 corn crop this week: harvest has started and conditions remained steady. With 60% of the overall crop dented, 17% of the crop has reached maturity. States still waiting to see mature corn include Colorado, Minnesota and Wisconsin. This progress is still well ahead of the 4% five-year average. States harvesting corn at this point include Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

The good/excellent condition of corn held steady over the last week, holding onto 23%.  The very poor/poor condition held steady, as well, still sitting at more than 50% of the crop in that condition. Every state has some percentage of the crop in very poor/poor condition. Missouri still has the worst corn, with 84% of its crop in very poor/poor condition. Two states have no excellent condition corn: Illinois and Kansas. North Carolina has the best corn with 60% of it's crop in good/excellent condition.

Nearly all of the overall soybean crop has reached podset at 91%, ahead of the 83% five-year average. Four percent of the overall soybean crop has started dropping leaves. States yet to see leaves fall off the bean plants include: Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina and Wisconsin.

The overall soybean condition gained a point in the good/excellent category over the last week, now sitting at 31% of the crop in good/excellent condition. Thirty-seven percent of the crop is in very poor/poor condition. As with corn, all states have beans in very poor/poor condition. Missouri still holds the beans in the toughest shape, with 78% of its soybean crop in very poor/poor condition. Kansas is the only state with none of the soybean crop in excellent condition. Mississippi has the most beans in good/excellent condition with 77% of the crop at that rating.