The latest crop progress report from USDA, out Monday afternoon and covering the week through Sept. 5, once again held a mixed bag of data to digest. Soybean quality moved a point higher, while corn quality slid a point lower, as the harvest for both crops will begin in earnest later this month. The 2021 spring wheat harvest is nearly complete, meantime, as growers look to put a period on the struggles this season has brought.

Corn quality eroded a point lower this past week, with 59% of the crop now rated in good-to-excellent condition. Analysts predicted USDA would hold ratings steady. Another 27% is rated fair (up a point from last week), with the remaining 14% rated poor or very poor (steady from a week ago).

At this time, nearly all (95%) of this year’s corn crop has reached dough stage, which is slightly ahead of the prior five-year average of 94%. Seventy-four percent is now dented, versus the prior five-year average of 69%. And 21% is now fully mature, up from 9% a week ago and favorable to the prior five-year average of 19%.

Matching analyst expectations, USDA raised soybean quality ratings by a point, with 57% of the crop now rated in good-to-excellent condition. Another 29% is rated fair (unchanged from last week), with the remaining 14% rated poor or very poor (down a point from last week).

Physiologically, 96% of the crop is now setting pods, up from 93% the prior week and mirroring the prior five-year average. And 18% of the crop is now dropping leaves, versus 9% a week earlier and the prior five-year average of 15%.

The spring wheat harvest continues to progress more quickly than it has in recent years, reaching 95% completion through September 5. That’s up from 88% a week ago, and well ahead of both 2020’s pace of 80% and the prior five-year average of 83%.

The 2021/22 winter wheat crop is starting to get planted, with progress of 5% through Sunday. Washington (36%) and Colorado (22%) are leading the way, but only eight of the top 18 production states have made measurable progress so far, per USDA.

Click here to read the latest USDA crop progress report for additional information on cotton, rice, sorghum, oats, barley and more.