Spring wheat’s condition dropped for the third straight week, the latest being a 4-point dip to 41% good to excellent, which was well under many trade forecasts. Declines were noted in five of the six states that USDA surveys.

Winter wheat’s condition slipped 1 point to 49% good/excellent. That crop was 28% harvested, which was ahead of last year and the five-year average.

Corn was unchanged at 67% good/excellent in USDA’s weekly progress report, but that was achieved by adding 2 points to the “excellent” category and dropping 2 from “good”. Corn in Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa improved 1 point, Missouri’s improved 4 and North Dakota’s improved 3 points. Kansas was down 4 at 61% good/excellent for the biggest decline among key producers.

Soybeans improved 1 point to 66% good/excellent, which was down from last year’s 73%.

In other tallies, corn emergence reached 98% to match the average, soybean emergence was 89% versus the 84% average.

“The western half of North Dakota received little to no rain while parts of the east received up to an inch. However, many areas receiving rain were still short and need additional moisture soon to help crop development,” the state said in its report.

In addition, temperatures in North Dakota average 2 to 8 degrees above normal.

North Dakota’s spring wheat dropped 1 point to 42% good/excellent and South Dakota’s was unchanged at 13%. Idaho’s crop dropped 11 points to 62% good/excellent.

Corn ratings dropped in Kansas where hot weather was common. Kansas received rain but also wind and hail.

Soybeans improved in most of the key states, including Illinois, Indiana and Iowa. The Kansas crop improved 7 points to 67% good/excellent despite the hot weather there.

Nationally, sorghum was 17% headed versus the 18% average. The crop was rated 66% good/excellent, down 1 from a week ago.