Corn condition drops amid heatwaves

The damage from triple-digit heat across the Midwest and Plains is showing up in the numbers, reports AgWeb. USDA’s weekly crop progress report shows the steepest week-over-week decline in corn good to excellent condition ratings for this point in the growing season in nearly 20 years, catching analysts off guard. USDA now rates the corn crop at 63% good to excellent, 25% fair, and 12% very poor to poor. Last year at this time, 73% of the corn crop was in good to excellent condition, according to Successful Farming. Some of the sharpest pain is showing up in the western Corn Belt and Plains. USDA is predicting more favorable temperatures ahead. Bloomberg reports that for the remainder of the week, any heat that has crept into the western Corn Belt will be pushed out, leaving Midwestern temperatures favorable. Extended weather models continue to trend better for Midwest crops.