As of Sept. 18, 93% of U.S. corn acres were in the dented stage. This compares with 92% on this date a year ago, 87% a week earlier and the 5-year average of 91%, according to USDA. At this point 53% of corn is considered “mature.” This is up from 33% last week, 48% last year and the 5-year average of 48%.

 As of this past Sunday, 9% of corn acres had been harvested, which is the same level as one year ago, but up from 5% a week earlier and down from the 5-year average of 12%.

The ag agency reports that there was no change in the condition of the corn crop from a week earlier, which rated 74% of corn as being in “good” (54%) or “excellent” (20%) condition. A year ago, 68% of corn acres were in “good” (49%) or “excellent” (19%) condition.

As for the soybean crop, USDA reports that 46% are currently dropping leaves, which is up from 26% a week ago, but down from 50% last year on this date. The 5-year average is 43% of soybeans dropping leaves on this date.

The soybean harvest also got underway this past week and as of Sunday, 4% of the crop had been harvested. This is down from 6% last year and the 5-year average of 5%.

USDA is rating the condition of the soybean crop at this stage as 73% “good” (54%) or “excellent” (19%). This is nearly a mirror image of the previous week (55% “good,” 18% “excellent”), but up by a good margin vs. last year. On this date in 2015, 63% the soybean crop was rated as “good” (48%) or “excellent” (15%).