US crop planting nearing completion with soybeans now 97% planted

HOUSTON (ICIS)–The US soybean crop is now 97% completed with corn emergence having reached 97% according to the latest US Department of Agriculture (USDA) weekly crop progress report.

While hot weather concerns persist, the corn acreage is progressing quickly with there now being 97% of the crop emerged, which is slightly behind the 98% rate in 2023 but is just above the five-year average of 96%.

In the first update on corn silking the agency is seeing 4% of the crop reach this phase which is ahead of the 3% achieved in 2023 and the five-year average of 3%.

For corn conditions, the USDA said 2% of the crop is very poor with 5% listed as poor. There is 24% of the crop rated fair with 55% listed as good and 14% as excellent.

Soybean plantings have reached 97% completed which is trailing the 99% level reached last year but is above the five-year average of 95%.

All the reporting states are now at 86% completed or above for the soybean acreage.

There is 90% of the crop which has emerged, but this is less than the 95% from 2023 but it is higher than the five-year average of 87%.

In the first update on soybeans blooming, the crop progress report said there is 8% of the crop at this phase, which is equal to the 8% from last year but this current pace is ahead of the five-year average of 6%.

For soybean conditions, the USDA said 2% of the crop is very poor with 6% listed as poor. There is 25% of the crop rated fair with 56% listed as good and 11% as excellent.

For the other key crops, the USDA said cotton plantings are at 94% completed with sorghum at 90%.