Status of the 2024 Corn and Soybean Crops
The USDA Crop Progress Report released on July 15th documented completed emergence for corn and soybeans for the 2024 season. Half of the soybean crop is blooming and forty percent of the corn crop is silking, both in advance of the corresponding week in 2023.
Despite high temperatures across the Midwest and Plains states crop condition was unchanged during the past week. Both corn and soybeans attained 68 percent for the two highest categories of “Good” and “Excellent” The July 15th values for corn and soybean quality were considerably higher than the 57 percent and 54 percent respectively for the two highest categories in 2023. Prospects for high yields were reflected in lower price projections in the July WASDE and for CME quotations for August delivery.
Based on the sum of the “Adequate” and “Surplus” categories, surface and subsoil moisture levels were higher than during the corresponding week in 2023. For the past week surface and subsoil moisture values were 82 and 72 percent respectively for the two highest categories of ‘Adequate’ and ‘Surplus’ representing an acceptable situation for growth in 2024. These levels were higher than the previous week despite hot conditions. Corresponding values of 62 and 57 percent were recorded for the two highest categories for topsoil and subsoil moisture respectively in 2023.
It is too early in the expected transition to a La Nina event to predict any impact on crop condition in coming months. If prolonged dry and hot weather is encountered in corn and soy areas, yield will be depressed depending on timing and severity. A long-range forecast in the form of two charts is provided predicting rainfall and temperature during the growing season.
Heat stress during silking predisposes corn to fungal infection leading to mycotoxin contamination of kernels. The status of the 2024 crop will require monitoring at harvest in affected areas and especially if unseasonal precipitation occurs during the late growing period.
Reference is made to the July 12th WASDE Report #650 and the weekly Commodity, Economy and Energy Report, both in this edition, documenting acreage to be harvested, yields, weekly prices and ending stocks. The August WASDE will be reviewed in the August 23rd edition.
EGG-NEWS will report on the progress of the two major crops as monitored by the USDA through the end of the 2024 harvest in November.
| |
WEEK ENDING |
|
|
Corn Status (18 states) *
|
June 30th 2024
|
July 7th 2024
|
5-Year Average
|
|
Corn Emerged (%)
|
100
|
100
|
100
|
|
Corn Silking (%)
|
24 |
41 |
32 |
| Corn Dough (%) |
3 |
8 |
4 |
| Soybean Status (18 states) |
|
|
|
|
Soybean Emerged (%)
|
100
|
100
|
100
|
| Soybeans Blooming (%) |
34 |
51 |
44 |
| Soybeans Setting Pods (%) |
9 |
18 |
12 |
|
*Representing 92% of 2024 acreage planted
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Soybeans Blooming
|
|
Crop Condition
|
V. Poor |
Poor
|
Fair
|
Good |
Excellent |
|
Corn 2024 (%)
|
3 |
6 |
23 |
52 |
16 |
| Corn 2023 (%) |
4 |
9 |
30 |
46 |
11 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Soybeans 2024 (%)
|
2 |
6 |
24 |
55 |
13 |
| Soybeans 2023 (%) |
4 |
9 |
32 |
47 |
8 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corn Silking
|
|
|
Parameter 48 States
|
V. Short |
Short
|
Adequate
|
Surplus |
| Topsoil Moisture: |
|
|
|
|
|
Past Week
|
8
|
20
|
61
|
11
|
| Past Year |
12 |
26 |
56 |
6 |
| Subsoil Moisture: |
|
|
|
|
|
Past Week
|
7
|
21
|
62
|
10
|
| Past Year |
13 |
30 |
53 |
4 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
EGG-NEWS will report on the progress of the two major crops as monitored by the USDA through to the end of the 2024 harvest in November.