Status of 2021 Corn and Soybean Crops
The USDA Crop Progress Report released on August 2nd documented corn and soybean crop conditions to August 1st compared to their 5-year averages. This past week 91 percent of corn was silking. For soybeans 86 percent of the crop was blooming and 58 percent was setting pods all ahead of the 5-year average.
U.S. surface moisture levels were generally lower during the past week over the corn-belt attaining an average of 23.7 percent of area classified in the two lowest categories of dryness. The severe drought in Western states and the Dakotas continues with extensive wildfires in the Northwest. Topsoil moisture in Iowa improved slightly this past week from 53 percent to 50 percent in the “Very Short” and “Short” categories. The topsoil moisture levels in significant corn/soy-producing states in the Midwest deteriorated slightly as noted by the increase for the two driest topsoil categories.
CHICK-NEWS and EGG-NEWS will report on the progress of the two major crops as monitored by the USDA through the end of the 2021 harvest in November.
Reference is made to the July 12th WASDE Report #614 and the Acreage Report retrievable under the STATS tab for projected 2021 acreage and yields. This data will be updated when WASDE #615 is released in mid-August with a firmer projection of yields and ending stocks.
|
WEEK ENDING |
|
Crop
|
July 25th
|
August 1st
|
5-Year Average
|
Corn Planted (%)
Corn Emerged (%)
Corn Silking (%)
Corn Dough (%)
|
100
100
79
18
|
100
100
91
38
|
100
100
86
33
|
Soybeans Planted (%)
Soybeans Emerged (%)
Soybeans Blooming (%)
Soybeans setting pods
|
100
100
76
42
|
100
100
86
58
|
100
100
82
52
|
|
|
Crop Condition
|
V. Poor
|
Poor
|
Fair
|
Good
|
Excellent
|
Corn 2021 (%)
Corn 2020 (%) 1
1. Late planting
|
3
2
|
8
5
|
27
21
|
47
55
|
15
17
|
Soybeans 2021 (%)
Soybeans 2020 (%)1
1. Late planting
|
3
1
|
9
5
|
28
21
|
48
58
|
12
15
|
|
|
Parameter
|
V. Short
|
Short
|
Adequate
|
Surplus
|
Topsoil moisture %: Past Week*
|
20
|
28
|
48
|
4
|
Past Year
|
11
|
25
|
57
|
7
|
Subsoil moisture %: Past Week
|
20
|
27
|
49
|
4
|
Past Year
|
10
|
25
|
59
|
6
|
|
The major corn and soybean-producing states have an average of 24% in the “Very Short” and “Short” categories (last week 22%) with a range of 11% for MI and MO to 50% for IA.
- Iowa 50% (was 53%)
- Illinois 17% (was 15%)
- Indiana 19% (was 9%)
- Kansas 44% (was 34%)
- Kentucky 29% (was 25%)
- Michigan 11% (was 13%)
- Missouri 11% (was 10%)
- Ohio 14% (was 20%)
- Pennsylvania 19% (was 22%)