The corn and soybean crops continue to progress after the recent heat wave. Nearly one-quarter of the overall corn crop has reached maturity and corn harvest has started in many states. Just over one-quarter of the overall soybean crop is dropping leaves. Condition ratings dropped slightly for both crops in the last week, picking up in the very poor/poor category.

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Over 80% of the overall corn crop has dented, and 22% of the overall crop has reached maturity, 19 points behind the five-year average. Last year at this time, 73% of the overall crop had reached maturity. In North Carolina, 95% of the corn has reached maturity. On the other end of the spectrum, only 5% of the corn crop has reached maturity in Minnesota, 23 points behind the five-year average.

Corn harvest has started in all but five of the major corn-producing states. States with no corn harvested yet include: Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio and Wisconsin. On average, 10% of the corn crop has been harvested by this date, including some harvest in every state. At this point, 4% of the overall corn crop has been harvested. Last year at this time, 24% of the overall corn crop had been harvested.

The overall corn crop dropped 1 point in the good/excellent rating, dropping from 54% to 53%. Eighteen percent of the overall crop is in very poor/poor condition. Last year at this time, 50% of the overall crop was in very poor/poor condition. As it stands right now, the state with the highest very poor/poor rating is Colorado, where 40% of its corn is in very poor/poor condition. The best corn is in Kentucky, where 91% of the corn is rated good/excellent.

Soybeans

Just over one-quarter of the overall soybean crop is dropping leaves. At 26%, it is 9 points behind the five-year average. Only two states have less than 10% of its soybeans dropping leaves, including Iowa (7%) and North Carolina (6%). The soybeans in North Dakota are actually ahead of schedule by 15 points, with 59% of the soybeans dropping leaves at this time, compared to a 44% five-year average.

Soybean condition dropped 2 points in the good/excellent rating to 50% good/excellent this week. The overall crop is now at 18% very poor/poor. Kentucky still has the best beans of all the major soybean-producing states at 85% good/excellent. Missouri has the poorest soybeans with 31% of its soybean crop in very poor/poor condition.

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