Crop condition ratings take center stage this week as most of the planting is now finished across the U.S. The survey taken Sunday indicates a three percentage point drop in the national corn condition rating bringing it down to 65 percent in the good to excellent categories. Iowa showed the largest decline with seven percentage points. However, traders were looking for a drop in numbers and expect next week’s ratings to improve due to heavy rains in much of the Corn Belt over the weekend.
Nationally, the soybean condition rating dropped two points. Nebraska and Iowa were both down four percentage points while Illinois actually improved by three.
Overall, the nation’s cotton crop improved by seven percentage points. Texas was up seven while Mississippi went down five and North Carolina slipped by three points.
The national grain sorghum rating was only down one point, but did see Colorado decline by 10 points, Oklahoma shaved off five, and South Dakota went down by four points.
Rice conditions improved by two points nationwide. Mississippi notched a five point increase.
Peanut conditions were four points higher led by a large 21 point gain in Florida and a 20 point improvement in South Carolina.
Spring wheat conditions continued their constant slide with the national rating dropping by an amazing 10 percentage points. South and North Dakota saw the biggest losses with 12 and 10 points respectively.
Winter wheat harvest gained momentum in the Plains, but still lags the five year average. Texas is now 58 percent done, Oklahoma 50 percent, and Kansas getting a big jump getting 13 percent out of the field in its first week of cutting.
Pasture conditions saw a general decline throughout the Plains. Kansas took the biggest hit with a 7 percentage point drop in the good to excellent category. South Dakota remains in the toughest shape in the Plains with 61 percent rated poor to very poor.
South Dakota also ties with Washington state for having the driest topsoil moisture ratings with 88 percent short to very short. Meanwhile, New Mexico retains the dubious title of having the driest subsoil moisture level with 90 percent of the state reporting short to very short moisture conditions
