The August 7 crop progress report shows soybean conditions improving and corn falling slightly.

Soybeans are 60% good to excellent condition on average across the nation. That’s up 1% from last week, but down 12% from a year ago.

In the dry areas of Iowa and North and South Dakota, Iowa is faring better. Iowa has 50 percent in good condition; 9% excellent and 29% in fair condition. North Dakota growers report 35% good; 2% excellent and 39% fair.  In South Dakota, 29% of the soybeans are in good condition, 3% excellent and 39% fair.

Corn condition across the nation is falling again this week. On average, corn is 60% in good to excellent condition and 27% in fair condition. That’s down 1% from last week, and down a whopping 16% from a year ago.

Iowa corn appears to be doing well so far in the dry conditions, with 53% good, 11% excellent and 26% in fair condition. However, North and South Dakota are not doing as well. North Dakota shows 36% good, 4% excellent and 35% in fair condition. South Dakota growers report 28% in good condition, 1% excellent and 35% fair.

Corn silking

The latest crop progress report shows 93% of the corn planted in the USA is silking. That’s up from last week’s 85%. Last year at this time, 96% was silking. The four-year average shows 94% silking.

Missouri farmers report all of their corn is silking.  Meanwhile Tennessee, Texas and North Carolina report 99% silking. In the Midwest, 97% of the corn is silking in Illinois and Nebraska. Indiana and Iowa farmers report 95% of their corn is silking.

Corn dough stage

The crop progress report shows 42% of the corn crop is in the dough stage, up from last week’s 23%. The four-year average for this week is 44%.

North Carolina has 92% in the dough stage and 83% in Tennessee. In the Midwest, Missouri and Illinois corn crops are leading with 69% and 57%, respectively.

Corn dented

So far, only 7% of this year’s corn crop is in the dent stage. The four-year average is 11%.

In the Midwest, Missouri leads with 26% dent stage. Kansas follows behind with 10% and Illinois reports 9%.

The leading states are North Carolina with 69% and Tennessee with 58%.

Soybeans blooming

The crop progress report shows 90% of the soybeans are blooming. That’s up 2% from the four-year average. Last week, the report showed 82% blooming.

States trailing the nation’s average are Michigan (88%); Kansas (85%); Missouri (71%); North Carolina (76%) and Kentucky with 71%.

Soybeans setting pods

Approximately 65% of the soybeans are setting pods. That’s up three points from the four-year average of 62%. Last week, growers reported 48% were setting pods.

There are eight states currently at the average or above: Mississippi with 88%; Louisiana 97%; Minnesota 71%; Illinois 70%; Tennessee 68%; Iowa 67%; Indiana and Nebraska report 65%.