WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. — In the first Crop Progress report pegging the condition of the 2015 U.S. winter wheat crop, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said 59% was rated good to excellent in the 18 major states as of Oct. 26 compared with 61% the same week a year ago. The USDA rated the crop 34% fair compared with 35% a year ago and 7% very poor to poor compared with 4% a year ago.

Among leading hard red winter wheat states, the crop in top-producer Kansas was rated 65% good to excellent (59% the same week a year ago), 33% fair and 2% very poor to poor. Conditions of other key hard red winter wheat states included Oklahoma, 52% good to excellent (68% a year ago), 35% fair and 13% very poor to poor; Texas, 50% good to excellent (46%), 33% fair and 17% very poor to poor; Nebraska, 81% good to excellent (72%), 18% fair and 1% very poor to poor; Montana, 77% good to excellent (44%), 22% fair and 1% very poor to poor; Colorado 47% good to excellent (59%), 45% fair and 8% very poor to poor; and South Dakota, 70% good to excellent (67%), 25% fair and 5% very poor to poor.

Conditions of key soft red winter wheat states included Illinois, rated 69% good to excellent (84% a year ago), 27% fair and 4% very poor to poor; Indiana, 70% good to excellent (74%), 29% fair and 1% very poor to poor; Michigan, 68% good to excellent (83%), 27% fair and 5% very poor to poor; Missouri, 62% good to excellent (41%) and 38% fair and Ohio, 71% good to excellent (87%), 26% fair and 3% very poor to poor.

The USDA also reported that 84% of the winter wheat crop was planted in the 18 major states as of Oct. 26 compared with 84% as the five-year average. Emerged was 67% compared with 62% as the average for the date.

The USDA said corn harvest as of Oct. 26 in the 18 major states was 46% completed, well behind 65% as the five-year average for the date. Ninety-six per cent of the crop was mature compared with 97% as the five-year average.

The soybean harvest in the 18 major states was 70% completed as of Oct. 26 compared with 76% as the five-year average, the USDA said.

Rice harvested as of Oct. 26 in the six major states was 96% compared with 91% as the average, the USDA said.