By Anthony Greder
DTN Managing Editor
OMAHA (DTN) -- U.S. row crops continued to race toward maturity with the percentage of corn mature and soybeans dropping leaves ahead of the average pace, according to the USDA National Ag Statistics Service's weekly Crop Progress report released Monday.
NASS estimated that 92% of corn was in the dough stage as of Sunday, Aug. 26, 8 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 84%. Sixty-one percent of corn was dented, 19 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 42%. Corn mature nationwide was estimated at 10%, 5 percentage points ahead of the average pace of 5%.
Meanwhile, 95% of soybeans were estimated to be setting pods, 5 percentage points ahead of the average of 90%. Seven percent of soybeans nationwide were dropping leaves, 3 percentage points ahead of the average of 4%.
The good-to-excellent condition ratings for both crops were mostly stable last week. Nationwide, 68% of corn was rated good to excellent as of Sunday, the same as the previous week. Soybean condition was rated to 66% good to excellent last week, up 1 percentage point from 65% the previous week.
Spring wheat harvest was 77% complete as of Sunday, ahead of last year's 73% and also ahead of the five-year average of 61%.
Sorghum was 93% headed as of Sunday, ahead of the five-year average of 90%. Sorghum coloring was 55%, also ahead of the five-year average of 52%. Sorghum mature was estimated at 27%, behind 29% at the same time last year and also behind the five-year average of 30%. Twenty percent of the sorghum crop was harvested as of Sunday, near the average pace of 21%.
Barley was 80% harvested as of Sunday, near 81% last year but ahead of the average of 72%. Oats were 89% harvested as of Sunday, ahead of 85% for last year and also ahead of the five-year average of 86%.
Twenty percent of rice was harvested as of Sunday, slightly ahead of the average pace of 18%. Cotton was 91% setting bolls, equal to the average pace. Twenty-one percent of cotton had bolls opening, ahead of the average of 18%.
To view weekly crop progress reports issued by National Ag Statistics Service offices in individual states, visit http://www.nass.usda.gov/…. Look for the U.S. map in the "Find Data and Reports by" section and choose the state you wish to view in the drop-down menu. Then look for that state's "Crop Progress & Condition" report.
| National Crop Progress Summary |
| This | Last | Last | 5-Year |
| Week | Week | Year | Avg. |
| Corn Dough | 92 | 85 | 85 | 84 |
| Corn Dented | 61 | 44 | 42 | 42 |
| Corn Mature | 10 | NA | 5 | 5 |
| Soybeans Setting Pods | 95 | 91 | 92 | 90 |
| Soybeans Dropping Leaves | 7 | NA | 5 | 4 |
| Cotton Setting Bolls | 91 | 86 | 92 | 91 |
| Cotton Bolls Opening | 21 | 17 | 17 | 18 |
| Sorghum Headed | 93 | 87 | 90 | 90 |
| Sorghum Coloring | 55 | 46 | 48 | 52 |
| Sorghum Mature | 27 | 23 | 29 | 30 |
| Sorghum Harvested | 20 | NA | 21 | 21 |
| Spring Wheat Harvested | 77 | 60 | 73 | 61 |
| Rice Harvested | 20 | 15 | 23 | 18 |
| Barley Harvested | 80 | 66 | 81 | 72 |
| Oats Harvested | 89 | 80 | 85 | 86 |
**
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| National Crop Condition Summary |
| (VP=Very Poor; P=Poor; F=Fair; G=Good; E=Excellent) |
| This Week | | Last Week | | Last Year |
| VP | P | F | G | E | | VP | P | F | G | E | | VP | P | F | G | E |
| Corn | 4 | 8 | 20 | 47 | 21 | | 4 | 8 | 20 | 48 | 20 | | 3 | 9 | 26 | 48 | 14 |
| Soybeans | 3 | 8 | 23 | 49 | 17 | | 3 | 8 | 24 | 49 | 16 | | 3 | 8 | 28 | 50 | 11 |
| Sorghum | 5 | 12 | 30 | 44 | 9 | | 5 | 13 | 33 | 41 | 8 | | 2 | 5 | 28 | 52 | 13 |
| Cotton | 13 | 18 | 25 | 33 | 11 | | 13 | 20 | 25 | 33 | 9 | | 5 | 6 | 24 | 46 | 19 |
| Rice | - | 4 | 21 | 60 | 15 | | - | 4 | 23 | 59 | 14 | | 1 | 6 | 21 | 55 | 17 |
Anthony Greder can be reached at anthony.greder@dtn.com
Follow him on Twitter @AGrederDTN
(AG)
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