Nearly all corn has reached dough stage, and nearly all soybeans have set pods. As corn harvest begins, the corn crop condition lost another point in good/excellent condition. Soybeans are starting to drop leaves, and overall soybean condition also lost a point in good/excellent condition.

The corn crop continues to progress well ahead of average. Ninety-five percent of the crop has reached dough stage against a five-year average of 81%. The crop is just over three-fourths dented compared to a 46% five-year average. All states are seeing mature corn at this point. Just over one-quarter of the crop is mature now. This is significantly more than the 8% five-year average. Corn harvest has started in many of the major corn-producing states. States yet to harvest any corn include: Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Overall, 6% of the corn crop has been harvested, 4 points ahead of the five-year average.

Just under one-fifth of the corn crop is in good/excellent condition. At 22%, the corn in good/excellent condition lost a point in the last week. The overall corn crop now sits at 52% very poor/poor. For reference, the crop last year at this time was about opposite with 19% in very poor/poor condition and 54% in good/excellent condition.

The overall soybean crop is also progressing ahead of average, although not as fast as the corn crop. Ninety-six percent of the crop has set pods, 4 points ahead of the five-year average. All but two states (Illinois and Wisconsin) are seeing leaves drop on soybeans. So far, 8% of the crop has started losing leaves, ahead of the 4% five-year average.

Soybeans in good condition lost a point over the last week, bringing the overall good/excellent condition to 30%. Thirty-eight percent of the overall soybean crop is in very poor/poor condition. Last year, only 15% of the crop was in this condition, while 57% of the overall soybean crop was in good/excellent condition at this time in 2011.