USDA’s latest crop progress report, out Monday afternoon and covering the week through October 16, showed the 2022 corn and soybean harvests rolling another step closer to the finish line. USDA also served up fresh quality ratings for both crops; corn conditions took an unexpected drop lower, while soybeans held steady, matching analyst expectations.

Corn quality ratings declined by a point, although analysts had expected to see them hold steady this past week. Through Sunday, 53% of the crop is in good-to-excellent condition. Another 26% is rated fair (unchanged from last week), with the remaining 21% rated poor or very poor (up a point from last week).

Physiologically, 94% of this season’s corn crop is fully mature – up from 87% a week ago and a bit ahead of the prior five-year average of 92%. Harvest progress moved from 31% complete last week up to 45%. That puts current progress behind 2021’s pace of 50% but ahead of the prior five-year average of 40%.

Soybean conditions held steady this past week, with 57% of the crop still rated in good-to-excellent condition through Sunday. Another 28% is rated fair, with the remaining 15% rated poor or very poor.

Physiologically, nearly all (96%) of the crop is now dropping leaves, up from 91% a week ago and ahead of the prior five-year average of 94%. Harvest progress jumped from 44% last week to 63%. That makes this season’s harvest faster than both 2021’s pace of 58% as well as the prior five-year average of 52%.

Other regional harvests worth noting include:

The 2022/23 winter wheat crop is still getting planted, meantime. Progress moved from 55% a week ago up to 69% as of Sunday. That mirror’s 2021’s pace and is slightly ahead of the prior five-year average of 68%.

Click here for more data from the latest USDA crop progress report.