Aug 17, 2021
U.S. Corn Down 2% to 62% Gd/Ex, Soy Down 3% to 57% Gd/Ex
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
Corn - The condition of the U.S. corn crop declined 2% last week to 62% rated good to excellent. Four states indicated that the corn condition improved last week, and 14 states indicated that the corn condition declined last week. The corn only improved in four states (North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsin) with the remainder of the states declining. The top five rated corn states are: Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Tennessee, and Illinois. The five lowest rated corn states are: North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Kansas, and a tie between Colorado and Iowa.
Yield estimates in the August Crop Report confirmed the trend we have been seeing all summer - much better conditions in the eastern Corn Belt while the northwestern Corn Belt continues to struggle.
Soybeans - The condition of the U.S. soybean crop declined 3% last week to 57% rated good to excellent. Eight states indicated that the soybean condition improved last week, and 10 states indicated that the soybean condition declined last week. Most of the improvements were found in the eastern and northern Corn Belt while most of the declines were found in the western Corn Belt. The top five rated corn states are: Indiana, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, and a tie between Michigan and Mississippi. The five lowest rated corn states are: North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Kansas.
August is the critical pod filling month for soybeans and that process should be successful in the eastern Corn Belt where there is ample soil moisture. Pod filling will be more problematic in the northwestern Corn Belt.
Soil Moisture - The nation's soil moisture declined last week with 10 states indicating improved soil moisture and 8 states indicating lower soil moisture. Most of the improvements were found in the eastern and northern Corn Belt while most of the declines were found in the western Corn Belt. The five states with the highest soil moisture are: Michigan, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, and a tie between Ohio and Wisconsin. The five states with the lowest soil moisture are: North Dakota, South Dakota Minnesota, Iowa, and Arkansas.
I have been tracking the weighted topsoil moisture for 20 years and this week on average is usually the driest topsoil moisture for the summer. The dryness continues be concentrated in the northwestern Corn Belt with the topsoil in North Dakota rated 91% short to very short, South Dakota is rated 91% short, Minnesota is rated 84% short, and Iowa is rated 61% short or very short.