WASHINGTON — Seventy-two per cent of the corn crop in the 18 major states was rated good to excellent as of Aug. 17, a one percentage point drop from the previous week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in its most recent Crop Progress report released Aug. 18.
Rated very poor to poor was 8% in the latest week compared with 7% the previous week. A year ago, 61% was rated good to excellent and 13% was rated very poor to poor, the U.S.D.A. said.
Conditions of the soybean crop in the 18 major states as of Aug. 17 improved from the previous week. Seventy-one per cent of the crop was rated good to excellent compared with 70% the previous week. Rated very poor to poor was 6% in the latest week compared with 7% the previous week, the U.S.D.A. said. A year ago, 62% was rated good to excellent and 10% was rated very poor to poor.
The U.S.D.A. said 70% of the corn crop in the 18 major states was in the dough stage as of Aug. 17 compared with 63% as the five-year average. A year ago on the same date, 49% of the crop was in the dough stage.
Twenty-two per cent of the corn crop was dented as of Aug. 16 compared with 27% as the five year average, the U.S.D.A. said. A year ago, 10% of the crop was in the dough stage.
Ninety-five per cent of soybeans in the 18 major states had reached the blooming stage as of Aug. 17 compared with 95% as the five year average for the date, the U.S.D.A. said. Setting pods was 83% of the crop compared with 79% the previous week.
The spring wheat crop in the six major states was rated 68% good to excellent in the week ended Aug. 17 compared with 70% the previous week. A year ago, 66% of the crop was rated good to excellent.
Spring wheat harvest was 17% complete in the latest week compared with 33% as the five-year average, the U.S.D.A. said. A year ago on the same date, 16% of the crop was harvested.
Sixty-six per cent of the oats crop in the nine major states was harvested as of Aug. 17 compared with 76% as the five-year average, the U.S.D.A. said. A year ago on the same date, 66% of the crop was harvested.
The rice crop in the six major states was 88% headed as of Aug. 17 compared with 81% as the five-year average, the U.S.D.A. said. Seven per cent of the crop was harvested as of Aug. 17 compared with 11% as the five-year average. Seventy-four per cent of the crop was rated good to excellent in the latest week compared to 73% in the previous week and 70% on the same date a year ago, the U.S.D.A. said.
