KANSAS CITY – The effects of rain-related delays in planting key crops such as corn, soybeans and spring wheat appear to be fading as development moves closer to five-year averages. Data in the US Department of Agriculture’s Crop Progress report released June 17 indicated producers have come relatively close to catching up with previous years while crop conditions did not suffer.

The amount of the corn crop that has emerged at 92 percent was five percentage points behind the five-year average of 97 percent in the 18 main corn-growing states, the USDA said. The condition of the crop was little changed with 64 percent rated good to excellent, compared with 63 percent the previous week and 63 percent at the same time last year.


Soybeans planted as of June 16 were 85 percent, lagging the five-year average of 91 percent by six percentage points, but emergence at 66 percent lagged the average of 80 percent a bit more significantly. In its first condition report of the season, the crop was deemed 64 percent good to excellent, up from last year’s good-to-excellent rating of 56 percent at the same date.