USDA’s new set of crop progress data, out Monday afternoon and covering the week through April 30, showed corn and soybeans continuing to make planting progress through the week ending April 30. Corn plantings are moving a bit slower than analysts were expecting, while soybean plantings came in a bit better than expected. USDA also provided updates for winter wheat quality ratings, which firmed two points last week.

Corn plantings are now 26% complete, per USDA. That’s up from 14% a week ago and one point below the average trade guess of 27%. This spring’s progress has doubled 2021’s effort so far while matching the prior five-year average. Six of the top 18 production states have only made single-digit progress, however, with North Dakota still sitting at zero.

Six percent of the crop is now emerged, up from 3% a week ago and slightly ahead of the prior five-year average of 5%. Southern states Texas (65%) and North Carolina (48%) are leading the charge.

Soybean plantings moved from 9% a week ago up to 19% through Sunday. Analysts were expecting to see progress reach 17%. It was also well above both 2021’s pace of 7% and the prior five-year average of 11%.

Other regional crops continued to make planting progress last week, including:

Winter wheat quality ratings improved two points last week, with 28% of the crop in good-to-excellent condition through April 30, matching analyst expectations. Another 30% of the crop is rated fair (down three points from last week), with the remaining 41% rated poor or very poor (up one point from last week).

Physiologically, 25% of the crop is now headed, up from 18% a week ago. That puts this season’s crop ahead of both 2021’s pace of 21% and the prior five-year average of 23%.

Click here to read more highlights from the latest UDSA crop progress report.