WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported that corn in the 18-main corn growing states was 67% in good-to-excellent condition as of June 30 — an improvement of two percentage points over the previous week. Silking was seen in 3% of the crop, down sharply from 22% at the same date a year ago and down from 9% as the five-year average. A total of 8% of the crop was rated poor to very poor, the same as last week, and down from 22% poor to very poor at the same time a year ago. 

The USDA said the hard red winter wheat harvest was 43% complete in the 18 main winter-wheat growing states, down from 52% harvested as the five-year average. In top-producing Kansas, the crop was 57% harvested, compared with 67% as the five-year average. 

Soybeans in the 18 main soybean growing states was 67% in good-to-excellent condition, up from 65% in the previous week and significantly higher than 45% good to excellent on the same date a year ago, the USDA said. 

The spring wheat crop, which was 18% headed in the six main spring wheat growing states, lagged the five-year average, which was 32%. The USDA said 68% of the spring wheat crop was in good-to-excellent condition as of June 30, down from 70% during the previous week. 

A total of 66% of the oats crop was headed in the nine main oats-growing states, down from the 76% as the five-year average. As of June 30, 59% of the crop was rated good to excellent, up two percentage points from the previous week, the USDA said. 

In the six main rice-growing states, a total of 66% of the crop was rated good to excellent in the latest week, down from 68% the previous week. Rice that was headed by June 30 totaled 7%, down from the 10% five-year average, the USDA said. 

In the 11 main sorghum-growing states, 23% of the crop was headed, about the same as the 24% five-year average. The USDA said 49% of the crop was in good-to-excellent condition and 16% in very poor to poor condition. The previous week, 54% of the crop was rated good to excellent and 13% was in very poor to poor condition, the USDA said.