WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.  — Nineteen percent of the corn crop was planted in the 18 major U.S. states as of April 27, up from 6% a week earlier and 5% a year ago but behind 28% as the 2009-13 average for the date, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in its April 28 Crop Progress report. Winter wheat condition ratings slipped slightly but remained about even with the five-year average for the date.

Corn planting in top-producing Iowa was 15% completed, well behind 33% as the five-year average but ahead of only 2% a year ago. Illinois planting was near average at 32% (33% average), and far ahead of 1% last year.

Three percent of the corn crop had emerged by April 27, up from 2% last year but behind 6% as the five-year average, the USDA said.

Winter wheat as of April 27 was rated 33% good to excellent, 33% fair and 34% poor to very poor, compared with 34%, 33% and 33%, respectively, a week earlier, and 33%, 32% and 35%, respectively, at the same time last year, the USDA said.

Ratings declined in most hard red winter states and remained abysmal in key Southwest states with Texas at 13% good to excellent and 65% poor to very poor, Oklahoma at 9% good to excellent (11% a week earlier) and 65% poor to very poor (61%), Kansas at 21% good to excellent (24%) and 37% poor to very poor (32%) and Colorado at 36% good to excellent (unchanged) and 33% poor to very poor (32%).

Condition ratings showed mixed changes in the soft winter wheat states with good to excellent ratings improving to 63% in Arkansas, 62% in Illinois and Indiana, 70% in North Carolina and 49% in Ohio but declining to 42% in Michigan (50% a week earlier) and 43% in Missouri.

Wheat headed in the 18 major states reached 18% as of April 27, ahead of 13% a year ago but behind 26% as the five-year average, the U.S.D.A. said. Four per cent of the hard winter crop in Kansas was headed (17% average for the date).

Spring wheat planting in the six major states advanced to 18% compared with 11% a year earlier and 30% as the 2009-13 average for the date. Planted in top-producing North Dakota was 3% of the crop (19% average for the date), with Minnesota at 2% (39%), South Dakota at 42% (46%), Montana at 19% (29%), Idaho at 93% (62%) and Washington at 77% (69%).

The spring wheat crop was 5% emerged as of April 27 compared with 9% as the average, with 55% in Idaho, 37% Washington and 6% in South Dakota but none in North Dakota, Minnesota or Montana.

In its first aggregate 18-state soybean planting report, the U.S.D.A. said 3% of the crop was in the ground, compared with none a year ago and 4% as the five-year average for the date. Planting had not yet begun in Iowa or Minnesota while Illinois was at 2% and Nebraska at 6%.