WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) July 8 Crop Progress report said corn silking in the 18 main corn-growing states jumped three percentage points to 6% in the latest week, still lagging significantly behind the five-year average of 20% for the same date. 

The condition of the corn crop as of July 7 remained close to the previous week in the 18 main corn-growing states: 68% good to excellent, up 1 percentage point from the previous week, and 8% very poor to poor, the same as the previous week, the USDA said. The percentage of the crop rated as fair fell to 24% in the latest week compared with 25% the previous week. 

The USDA said 95% of the 2013 soybean crop was emerged as of July 7 in the 18 main soybean states, down from 97% as the five-year average. A total of 10% of the crop was blooming, lagging the 24% five-year average. 

The condition of the soybean crop as of July 7 was identical to the previous week with 67% in good-to-excellent condition, 26% fair and 7% in very poor to poor condition, the USDA said. 

The USDA said 57% of the hard red winter wheat crop was harvested as of July 7 in the 18 main growing states, down from a five-year average of 64% for the date. The crop remained in 34% good-to-excellent condition, 24% fair condition and 42% very poor-to-poor condition in the latest week, the USDA said. 

The spring wheat crop in the six major growing states was 98% emerged as of July 7, compared with 99% as the five-year average, the USDA said. A total of 45% of the crop was headed in the latest week, down from 53% as the five-year average. The crop was in 72% good-to-excellent condition as of July 7, up from 68% rated good to excellent the previous week. 

The condition of the sorghum crop, 25% headed as of July 7, deteriorated modestly. The USDA said 44% of the crop in the 11 main sorghum-growing states was rated good to excellent, down from 49% in the previous week. 

The USDA rated 69% of the rice crop in the six main rice-growing states as good to excellent as of July 7, up from 66% the previous week. A total of 9% of the crop was headed in the latest week, down from 14% as the five-year average. 

A total of 81% of the oats crop was headed as of July 7 in the nine major oats-growing states, down from a five-year average of 86%, the USDA said. The crop was in 59% good-to-excellent condition in the latest week, the same as the previous week.