It’s been a few weeks since the last USDA Crop Progress report, but despite the lack of reports, corn and soybean harvest has progressed and farmers have been busy in the field. The overall corn crop is nearly 40% harvested and 60% of the corn is in good/excellent condition. Sixty-three percent of the soybean crop has been harvested, and 57% of the crop is in good/excellent condition.

Thirty-nine percent of the corn crop has been harvested as of Oct. 21, 14 points behind the five-year average. Last year at this time, 85% of the corn crop had been harvested. Several of the major corn-producing states are less than 50% harvested, including: Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Wisconsin. North Carolina has nearly completed its corn harvest.

The corn condition has improved over the last time a report was released, increasing 5 points in the good/excellent category to 60% good/excellent. Fourteen percent of the overall crop is in very poor/poor condition. It should be noted that the state of Tennessee has no corn in very poor condition, and 90% of its corn is in good/excellent condition.

Soybeans

Nearly two-thirds of the overall soybean crop has been harvested, at 63%, as of Oct. 21. This is only 6 points behind the five-year average. Last year at this time, 79% of the soybeans had been harvested. A handful of states have less than 50% of the beans harvested, including: Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina and Tennessee. Louisiana has harvested 90% of its soybean crop, actually 3 points ahead of the five-year average for that state.

The condition of the overall soybean crop improved over the past few weeks, gaining 4 points in the good/excellent rating to 57% good/excellent overall. The overall crop is in 14% very poor/poor condition. There are two states with no beans in very poor condition: Louisiana and Tennessee. Kentucky has the best soybeans of the major-producing states at 87% good/excellent.