Both the U.S. corn and soybean harvests are now double digits ahead of their five-year averages as dry weather continued across most of the country last week, USDA NASS reported in its weekly Crop Progress report on Monday.
CORN
-- Crop development: Corn mature was pegged at 98%, 1 point ahead of last year's 97% and 3 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 95%.
-- Harvest progress: Corn harvest moved ahead 18 percentage points nationally to reach 65% complete as of Sunday. That was 10 points ahead of last year's 55% and 13 points ahead of the five-year average of 52%. Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin were all ahead of their five-year averages.
SOYBEANS
-- Harvest progress: Soybean harvest slowed last week, moving ahead 14 percentage points to reach 81% complete as of Sunday. That was still 9 points ahead of last year's 72% and 14 points ahead of the five-year average of 67%. Key states Illinois and Iowa are 76% and 91% harvested, respectively, with Minnesota now 95% done.
WINTER WHEAT
-- Planting progress: Winter wheat planting also slowed last week, moving ahead 9 points to reach 73% complete nationwide as of Sunday, 1 point behind last year's 74% and 3 points behind the five-year average of 76%. Oklahoma continued to be the furthest behind at 55% planted, 16 points behind the state's five-year average of 71%.
-- Crop development: An estimated 46% of winter wheat had emerged as of Sunday, 3 points behind last year's 49% and 4 points behind the five-year average of 50%.