USDA reports crop conditions holding steady

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports national corn and soybean condition ratings are close to the annual average. 

According to the report, 96 percent of U.S. corn is silking, matching the five-year average, and 50 percent is at the dough-making stage, slightly ahead of the normal pace. Nine percent of the crop has dented, in-line with last year, but a little slower than average. Seventy percent of corn is in good-to-excellent condition, unchanged on the week.

Eighty-eight percent of soybeans are blooming, 3 percent slower than usual, and 69 percent is at the pod-setting stage, 3 percent faster than normal. Sixty-three percent of soybeans are in good-to-excellent shape, steady with a week ago.

Ninety-seven percent of the winter wheat crop is harvested, compared to 90 percent on average. Of spring wheat 28 percent is harvested, compared to 20 percent normally at this time of year. Sixty-nine percent of spring wheat is rated good to excellent, down 1 percent from last week.

Fifty-five percent of U.S. pastures and rangelands are in good-to-excellent condition, 3 percent less than a week ago.