USDA’s latest crop progress report, out Monday afternoon and covering the week through July 19, showed a slight divergence between corn and soybean quality ratings. Corn ratings saw some mild cuts, according to USDA, while soybean ratings inched slightly higher. The 2025-26 winter wheat harvest is now nearly three-quarters complete, meantime.
Corn quality ratings slipped slightly lower, with 67% of the crop now in good-to-excellent condition through Sunday. Analysts were expecting to see a two-point drop, with individual trade guesses ranging between 65% and 67%. Another 24% of the crop is rated fair (unchanged from last week), with the remaining 9% rated poor or very poor (up one point from last week).
Physiologically, 59% of the crop is now silking, up from 34%. That’s moderately ahead of 2025’s pace and the prior five-year average of 54%. And 13% of the crop has reached dough stage, versus the prior five-year average of 11%.
Soybean crop quality trended one point higher this past week, with 66% now in good-to-excellent condition. Analysts were anticipating a one-point drop, however, with trade guesses ranging between 62% and 66%. Another 26% of the crop is rated fair (down one point from last week), with the remaining 8% rated poor or very poor (steady from last week).
Physiologically, two thirds of the crop is now blooming, up from 50% a week ago and moderately ahead of the prior five-year average of 60%. And 32% of the crop is now setting pods, up from 19% a week ago and well ahead of the prior five-year average of 24%.
The winter wheat harvest progressed from 67% a week ago up to 74% as of July 20. That was slower than analysts were anticipating after offering trade guesses that ranged between 75% and 80%. Still, this season’s harvest remains ahead of 2025’s pace of 72% and the prior five-year average of 71%. USDA has marked two of the top 18 production states (Arkansas and Oklahoma) as 100% complete.
Spring wheat quality ratings stumbled five points lower, with 53% of the crop now rated in good-to-excellent condition. Another 35% of the crop is rated fair (up three points from last week), with the remaining 12% rated poor or very poor (up two points from last week). Physiologically, 86% of the crop is now headed, up from 72% last week and slightly ahead of the prior five-year average of 85%.
Click here for additional data points from the latest crop progress report, including a state-by-state look at topsoil and subsoil moisture, days suitable for fieldwork and more.