Jun 25, 2019
U.S. Crop Conditions Decline due to Wet Conditions
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
Corn - The condition of the corn crop declined 3% this week to 56% rated good to excellent. Seven states indicated that the corn condition improved last week and 10 states indicated that the corn condition declined this week. Most of the improvements were found in the western Corn Belt while most of the declines were found in the eastern Corn Belt. The top five rated corn states are: Tennessee, Nebraska, Kentucky, Texas, and Pennsylvania. The five lowest rated corn states are: Missouri, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois.
The big thing for this year's corn crop is how delayed it is especially in the eastern Corn Belt. As I mentioned in my trip commentary, a lot of the eastern Corn Belt looks like the second week of May instead of the last week of June. Some the corn that has not yet emerged will not pollinate until later in August and it will be a challenge for the crop to mature before the first frost.
Soybeans - We finally got the first soybean condition and the crop is rated 54% good to excellent. The best rated soybeans are found in the western Corn Belt while the lowest rated soybeans are found in the eastern Corn Belt. The top five rated soybean states are Tennessee, Kentucky, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Minnesota. The five lowest rated soybean states are Ohio, Missouri, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois.
The soybean development is also very delayed with 15% not planted (approximately 12 million acres) and 29% not emerged (approximately 25 million acres).
Soil Moisture - Last week was a wet week with 16 states indicating that the soil got wetter and only 2 states indicated that the soil got dryer (Michigan and North Carolina). The wetter conditions were found all across the Corn Belt. The five wettest states are Kansas, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana. The five driest states are: Louisiana, Arkansas, North Carolina, Mississippi, and North Dakota.
The crops would benefit from dryer conditions and not wetter conditions. The forecast is calling for warmer and dryer conditions, which is exactly what the crops need. The driest areas are the southeastern U.S as well as the far northwestern Corn Belt.