The latest crop progress report from USDA, out Monday afternoon and covering the week through August 16, showed corn and soybean quality ratings slightly declined, which matched analysts’ expectations. The winter wheat harvest is nearly complete, meantime, as the spring wheat harvest closes in on the halfway mark.
Corn quality eased a point lower last week, with 60% of the crop now rated in good-to-excellent condition through Sunday. Analysts were expecting this modest decline, with individual trade guesses ranging between 59% and 61%. Another 25% of the crop is rated fair (unchanged from last week), with the remaining 15% rated poor or very poor (up one point from last week).
Physiologically, nearly all (97%) of the crop is now silking, mirroring the prior five-year average. Just over three-fourths (76%) of the crop is at dough stage, up from the prior five-year average of 70%. Twenty-nine percent of the crop is now dented, up from the prior five-year average of 24%. And 4% of the crop is now fully mature, versus the prior five-year average of 3%.
Soybean quality ratings also dipped lower last week, with 61% of the crop rated in good-to-excellent condition through August 16. That matched the average trade guess, with the range coming in between 60% and 62%. Another 29% of the crop is rated fair (up one point from last week), with the remaining 10% rated poor or very poor (unchanged from a week ago).
Physiologically, 96% of the crop is now blooming, which is slightly ahead of the prior five-year average of 94%. And 85% of the crop is now setting pods, staying moderately ahead of the prior five-year average of 80%.
The 2025-26 winter wheat harvest is all but in the books, reaching 96% completion through Sunday. That’s a bit ahead of both 2025’s pace of 93% and the prior five-year average of 94%. USDA has marked 100% completion for 11 of the top 18 production states at this time.
This year’s spring wheat harvest is also marching forward, with 41% completion through August 16. That’s up from 24% a week earlier and moderately faster than the prior five-year average of 34%. Quality ratings saw modest improvements, with 52% of the crop now in good-to-excellent condition. Another 36% of the crop is rated fair (up three points from last week), with the remaining 12% rated poor or very poor (down four points from last week).
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.