USDA’s latest crop progress report, out Monday afternoon and covering the week through Oct. 4, showed degrading corn and soybean quality ratings as harvest continued to march forward for both crops. Winter wheat plantings were also sluggish this past week as rains slowed fieldwork in many areas.
Corn quality eroded 3 points lower this past week, with 54% of the crop rated in good-to-excellent condition through Sunday. That was below the range of trade guesses, which came in between 55% and 57%. About 28% of the crop is rated fair (up 2 points from last week), with the remaining 18% rated poor or very poor (up 1 point from last week).
Physiologically, 83% of the crop is fully mature, up from 72% a week ago and identical to the prior five-year average. And harvest has reached 23%, up from 18% a week earlier. Analysts were expecting to see that number at 26%, with the prior five-year average at 27%.
Beans drop a point
Soybean quality ratings faced a 1-point drop last week, with 57% of the crop now in good-to-excellent condition. That matched analyst expectations, with individual trade guesses ranging between 56% and 58%. About 29% of the crop is rated fair (unchanged from last week), with the remaining 14% rated poor or very poor (up 1 point from last week).
Physiologically, 85% of the crop is now dropping leaves, improving from 75% a week ago but remaining 2 points behind the prior five-year average of 87%. Harvest is now 25% complete, shifting moderately below the prior five-year average of 33%.
Winter wheat plantings for the new 2026-27 season are now 36% complete, up from 27% a week ago but well behind the prior five-year average of 46%. Analysts were expecting that number to climb to 43%, although individual trade guesses varied widely, from 36% to 55%. Emergence moved from 8% a week ago up to 16% through Oct. 4.
Click here for additional data points from Monday’s USDA crop progress report, including a state-by-state look at topsoil and subsoil moisture, days suitable for fieldwork and more.