Prior to the latest crop progress report from USDA, out Monday afternoon and covering the week through August 21, analysts thought the agency would hold its quality ratings for corn and soybeans steady. Instead, USDA lopped off another two points off its corn ratings, while soybean quality slid another point lower last week.

As of Sunday, 55% of this season’s corn crop was rated in good-to-excellent condition, falling another two points from a week ago. Another 27% is rated fair (unchanged from last week), with the remaining 18% rated poor or very poor (up two points from last week).

Physiologically, nearly all (97%) of the crop is now silking, up from 94% last week. Three-fourths has reached the dough stage, up from 62% a week ago. And 31% is dented, up from 16% last week. All maturity stages are tracking a bit behind the prior five-year average.

Soybean quality ratings dipped a point lower, despite analysts expecting them to hold steady this week. Fifty-seven percent is rated in good-to-excellent condition through Sunday. Another 30% of the crop is rated fair (unchanged from last week), with the remaining 13% rated poor or very poor (up a point from last week).

Nearly all (97%) of this year’s crop is now blooming, which mirror’s the prior five-year average. Eighty-four percent is setting pods, versus 2021’s pace of 87% and the prior five-year average of 86%.

Both the spring and winter wheat harvests are underway. Winter wheat is further along, with 95% harvested through August 21. That’s slightly behind the prior five-year average of 97%. Spring wheat harvest progressed from 16% complete a week ago up to 33% through Sunday – keeping it distantly behind the prior five-year average of 54%.

Spring wheat crop quality shifted somewhat. Sixty-four percent is still rated in good-to-excellent condition, but the G/E spread went from 58/6 a week ago to 56/8. Another 28% of the crop is rated fair (down two points from last week), with the remaining 8% rated poor or very poor (up two points from last week).

Click here for more data from the latest USDA crop progress report, including the agency’s observations about sorghum, oats, cotton, rice and other regionally significant crops.