USDA’s latest crop progress report, out Monday afternoon and covering the week through July 26, showed a degradation of corn and soybean quality ratings – hardly a surprise, given the spate of overly hot conditions across the central U.S. over the past several days. And the 2025-26 winter wheat harvest moves ever closer to the finish line, staying just ahead of the prior five-year average.
Corn quality ratings tilted four points lower last week, with 63% of the crop now in good-to-excellent condition through Sunday. Another 25% of the crop is rated fair (up one point from last week), with the remaining 12% rated poor or very poor (up three points from last week). Pennsylvania (85%), Iowa (80%) and Wisconsin (74%) lead the way among the top 18 production states so far.
Physiologically, 78% of the crop is now silking, up from 59% a week ago and favorable to the prior five-year average of 74%. And 25% of the crop has reached dough stage, up from 13% in the prior week and ahead of the prior five-year average of 22%.
Soybean quality ratings also shifted lower last week, losing three points to land at 63% of the crop in good-to-excellent condition through July 26. Another 28% of the crop is rated fair (up two points from last week), with the remaining 9% rated poor or very poor (up one point from last week). Iowa (78%), Minnesota (78%) and Wisconsin (70%) have the highest rated crops among the top 18 production states so far.
Physiologically, 80% of the crop is now blooming, up from 66% a week earlier and ahead of the prior five-year average of 74%. And almost half (47%) of the crop is now setting pods, up from 32% a week ago and well ahead of the prior five-year average of 39%.
The 2025-26 winter wheat harvest made modest inroads last week, moving from 74% completion on July 19 up to 82% completion through July 26. That’s slightly ahead of last season’s pace and the prior five-year average, both at 79%.
This season’s spring wheat harvest is just kicking off, meantime, with 2% completion as of Sunday. That mirrors the prior five-year average. Nearly all (92%) of the crop is now headed, up from 86% a week ago and slightly behind the prior five-year average of 93%.
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.