WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) -
A new crop condition report shows cooler weather and spotty rainfall in the middle of the country has slowed the deterioration of the nation's corn and soybean crop.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says in the 18 states that grow most of the corn, 51 percent of the crop was rated very poor or poor last week. It was 50 percent a week earlier.
Twenty-six percent of the corn was rated fair, compared with 27 percent a week earlier. Twenty-three percent remained rated good or excellent.
Thirty-eight percent of soybeans were rated very poor or poor, compared with 39 percent the week before. Thirty-two percent remained in fair condition. Thirty percent was good or excellent, in a slight improvement from 29 percent the prior week.
In Iowa, 51 percent poor to very poor, up from 49 percent the previous week. Only 16 percent of the crop is rated good to excellent. Iowa soybeans rated 37 percent poor or very poor, the same as the week before. 25 percent of the beans rated good to excellent.
In Nebraska, the USDA says only 31 percent of the corn is in good or excellent condition. A year ago, it was 76 percent.
Damaged cornfields are being chopped for silage or baled, while a few fields in southeast Nebraska are being harvested.
Nebraska soybeans are rated 18 percent in good or excellent condition. That's well below last year's 78 percent.
The USDA says most of Nebraska's pasture and range land is in poor or very poor condition. Some cattle are being rounded up and being fed supplemental feed.
