Aug 21, 2018
U.S. Corn Condition declines 2%, Soybeans decline 1%
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
Corn - The condition of the 2018 U.S. corn crop declined 2% last week to 68% rated good to excellent. Five states indicated that the corn condition improved last week, 10 states indicated that the corn condition declined last week, and 3 states were unchanged. Most of the improvements were found in the southern and eastern areas, while most of the declines were found in the central, western, and northern Corn Belt. The top five rated corn states are: Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Illinois, and a tie between Minnesota and Ohio. The five lowest rated corn states are: Missouri, Texas, North Carolina, Kansas, and Michigan.
Nearly all the declines in condition occurred in the western and northwestern Corn Belt before the weekend rains moved into the region.
Soybeans - The condition of the 2018 soybean crop declined 1% last week to 65% rated good to excellent. Eleven states indicated that the soybean condition improved last week, 6 states indicated that the soybean condition declined last week, and 1 state was unchanged. Most of the improvements were found in the central Corn Belt while most of the declines were found in the north and northwestern Corn Belt. The top five rated soybean states are: Nebraska, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, and Mississippi. The five lowest rated soybean states are: Missouri, Kansas, North Dakota, North Carolina, and Louisiana.
It is a little unusual that the overall condition rating declined even though 11 states improved and 6 states declined. The improvements were very small in individual states, whereas the declines were much more significant, thus lowering the overall rating.
Soil Moisture - The nation's soil moisture improved last week with 12 states indicating that the soil moisture had improved last week and 6 states indicating that the soil moisture had declined last week. Most of the improvements were found across the Corn Belt while most of the declines were found in the northwestern Corn Belt. The five states with the best soil moisture are: North Carolina, Indiana, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Ohio. The five states with the driest soils are: Missouri, North Dakota, Michigan, South Dakota, and Louisiana.
The nation's soils turned wetter last week and my guess is that they will continue to get wetter this week as well as a slow moving low pressure system moves across the Midwest. The weather next week looks hotter and dryer, but the moisture this week will help to offset the conditions next week.