Jul 14, 2020
2020 U.S. Corn Condition Down 2% (G/E), Soybeans Down 3% (G/E)
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
Corn - The condition of the 2020 U.S. corn crop declined 2% last week to 69% rated good to excellent. Four states indicated that the corn condition improved last week, 12 states indicated that the corn condition declined last week, and 2 were unchanged. Most of the improvements were found in the northern Corn Belt while most of the declines were found in the central and eastern Corn Belt. The top five rated corn states are: Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Kentucky. The five lowest rated corn states are: Colorado, Michigan, Ohio, Texas, and Kansas.
With the type of weather they had across the central and southern Midwest earlier last week, it was not a surprise that the corn condition declined. Rainfall late last week and over the weekend was a better than expected especially across northern and central Illinois and western Indiana. The forecast for the first half of this week is less threatening with higher temperatures returning later in the week.
Soybeans - The condition of the 2020 U. S. soybean crop declined 3% last week to 68% rated good to excellent. Seven states indicated that the soybean condition improved last week while 11 states indicated that the soybean condition declined last week. Most of the improvements were found in the northern and southern areas while most of the declines were found in the central areas. The top five rated soybean states are: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Louisiana, Iowa, and South Dakota. The five lowest rated soybean states are: Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kansas, and Illinois.
The soybean crop declined slightly more than the corn and I expect the soybean condition to decline slightly again next week.
Soil Moisture - The nation's soil moisture declined last week with 8 states indicating improved soil moisture while 10 states indicated lower soil moisture. Most of the improvements were found in the northern areas while most of the declines were found in the central and southern areas. The five states with the highest soil moisture are: Minnesota, Mississippi, Wisconsin, Kentucky, and North Dakota. The five states with the lowest soil moisture are: Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Iowa, and Arkansas.
The soil moisture declined again last week, which is normal for this time of the year. Some of the driest areas are in the eastern Corn Belt with pockets of dryness in the western states of Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, and parts of Iowa. The soil moisture is now below average and I think that it will decline again next Monday.