Crop Conditions
Western Corn Belt states continue to drive the U.S. crop lower
Producers share real-time, boots-on-the-ground assessments of crop conditions.
An unusual combination of severe hail, 88 mph winds and excessive rainfall has devastated some corn acres, while saturated fields, delayed herbicide applications and rising weed pressure threaten remaining yield potential.
Improvements in the western Corn Belt outweighed deterioration elsewhere
HRW rating declines, while SRW sees improvement
USDA also raised its corn and soybean condition ratings
NOAA officially declared El Niño on Thursday and says the climate pattern has a 63% chance of reaching “very strong” status by fall, potentially shaping U.S. weather through harvest and winter.
Meteorologist Eric Snodgrass says warmer Pacific waters - not just El Niño - could drive a wetter, stormier summer across much of the Midwest and central U.S.
Percentage of winter wheat crop rated ‘good’ to ‘excellent’ unchanged
Record corn yields have risen 10x in 100 years. David Hula says continued genetic gains, along with a deeper understanding of what’s happening underground, could push yield potential far beyond what most farmers expect.