USDA’s Aug. 11 Crop Progress report indicates that neither the 2019 corn and soybean crops are where they would be typically at this point of the year and are still feeling the weather effects that caused the late planting season this spring.

An estimated 90% of corn was silking as of this past Sunday. This compares to 78% a week earlier, 96% for this date a year ago and the 5 year average of 97%. About 39% of corn acres are at the dough stage. While this is a 16% improvement compared to a week earlier, it lags this date in 2018’s 71% and the 5 year average of 61%.

USDA added “corn dented” in this week’s report for the first time this year. It too remains behind what would typically be expected for the second week of August. An estimated 7% of corn is at the dented stage vs. 24% a year earlier and the 5 year average of 16%. Overall, there was no change in the condition of this year’s corn crop from the previous week: 47% is in “good” condition and 10% is rated as “excellent.” This continues to trail last year’s numbers when 50% was rated as being in “good” condition and 20% in “excellent” condition.

The 2019 soybean crop is in similar shape as corn. As of Aug. 11, 82% of soybean are at the blooming stage, up from 72% a week earlier. This compares to 95% on this date in 2018 and the 5 year average of 93%.

An estimated 54% of soybeans are setting pods as of this past Sunday, up from 37% the previous week. At this point a year earlier, 83% of soybeans were setting pods and the 5 year average is 76%.

Very little change was noted in the condition of soybeans from the previous week: 46% were rated as “good” (45% a week earlier) and 8% are rated as “excellent” (9% in the previous week). This compares with 66% last year at this time when 50% were rated as “good” and 16% was estimated to be in “excellent” condition.