Several days of drier weather — at least in some parts of the Corn Belt — helped corn planting progress jump another 16 percentage points last week, according to the latest USDA NASS Crop Progress report released on Monday.

NASS estimated that, as of Sunday, June 9, corn planting had reached 83% complete, up from 67% the previous week thanks to big increases in several of the largest corn-producing states. That put planting progress 16 percentage points behind both last year and the five-year average of 99%. Planting progress remained slow in Indiana at 67%, Michigan at 63%, Ohio at 50% and South Dakota at 64%, noted DTN Lead Analyst Todd Hultman.

An estimated 62% of corn was emerged as of Sunday, 31 percentage points behind the five-year average of 93%. That was an improvement from last Monday’s report when emergence was 38 percentage points behind average.

In its first corn condition rating of the season, USDA estimated that 59% of corn that was emerged was in good-to-excellent condition, down from 77% a year ago.

“Corn’s good-to-excellent rating of 59% matches 2002 as the lowest for this time of year,” Hultman said.

Soybean planting progress also saw a substantial jump last week due to the drier weather. As of Sunday, an estimated 60% of the crop was planted, up 21 percentage points from 39% the previous week. Progress was still 32 percentage points behind last year’s 92% and 28 percentage points behind the five-year average of 88%. In last week’s report, soybean planting was 40 percentage points behind average.

“Big lags from normal in soybean planting are still seen in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and South Dakota,” Hultman noted.

Nationwide, 34% of soybeans were emerged, 39 percentage points behind the average of 73%.

Spring wheat growers had nearly caught up to the average planting pace last week. NASS estimated that 97% of spring wheat was planted as of Sunday, just 2 percentage points behind the five-year average of 99%. Spring wheat emerged, at 85%, was 8 percentage points behind the five-year average of 93%.

Spring wheat condition for the portion of the crop that was emerged was rated 81% good to excellent, down 2 percentage points from 83% the previous week. The current good-to-excellent rating is the highest for the crop at this time of year since 2010, Hultman noted.

Winter wheat was 83% headed as of Sunday, behind last year’s 90% and 8 percentage points behind the five-year average of 91%. The first national winter wheat harvest progress report of the season showed 4% of the crop harvested, behind 13% last year and also behind the average of 10%. Harvest took place mainly in North Carolina, Texas and Arkansas.

USDA estimated that 64% of winter wheat was in good-to-excellent condition as of Sunday, unchanged from 64% the previous week.

Sorghum was 49% planted, compared to 77% last year and a five-year average of 68%. Fourteen percent of sorghum was headed. Oats were 96% planted as of June 9, compared to 99% last year and an average of 99%. Oats emerged were at 87%, compared to 94% last year and an average of 97%.

Cotton planting was 75% complete, compared to 88% last year and the average of 87%. Cotton squaring, at 11%, was equal to the average pace of 11%. Rice was 96% planted, compared to 100% last year and an average of 99%. Eighty-seven percent of rice was emerged, compared to 99% last year and an average of 96%.

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 Planted 83 67 99 99
Corn Emerged 62 46 93 93
Soybeans Planted 60 39 92 88
Soybeans Emerged 34 19 81 73
Winter Wheat Headed 83 76 90 91
Winter Wheat Harvested 4 NA 13 10
Spring Wheat Planted 97 93 99 99
Spring Wheat Emerged 85 69 92 93
Cotton Planted 75 71 88 87
Cotton Squaring 11 8 14 11
Sorghum Planted 49 35 77 68
Sorghum Headed 14 NA 15 12
Barley Planted 97 94 99 99
Barley Emerged 86 73 91 92
Oats Planted 96 91 99 99
Oats Emerged 87 77 94 97
Oats Headed 28 23 38 41
Rice Planted 96 91 100 99
Rice Emerged 87 76 99 96

**

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 2 7 32 52 7 NA NA NA NA NA 1 3 19 59 18
Winter Wheat 2 7 27 50 14 2 7 27 50 14 15 20 27 30 8
Spring Wheat – 1 18 73 8 – 1 16 75 8 1 2 27 61 9
Cotton 7 8 41 37 7 3 10 41 38 8 3 18 37 38 4
Barley – 2 14 68 16 – 1 11 78 10 – 1 16 74 9
Oats 2 4 29 57 8 2 5 31 55 7 4 4 25 57 10
Rice 1 6 32 52 9 1 6 32 52 9 1 3 25 58 13

**

National Soil Moisture Condition – 48 States
(VS = Very Short; SH = Short; AD = Adequate; SR = Surplus)
This Week Last Week Last Year
VS SH AD SR VS SH AD SR VS SH AD SR
Topsoil Moisture 1 8 66 25 2 9 56 33 9 23 60 8
Subsoil Moisture 1 7 66 26 2 8 59 31 9 22 63 6

Anthony Greder can be reached at anthony.greder@dtn.com

Follow him on Twitter @AGrederDTN

Source: Anthony Greder, DTN