Compared to last year at this time, the condition of the corn and soybean crops are in better shape this year, while winter and spring wheat appear to be holding their own, according to yesterday’s USDA Crop Progress report.

The ag agency reported 67% of the corn crop is in “good” or “excellent” condition, better than last week’s 65%, and better than last year’s 48%. About 3% of the corn crop is silking, behind the average pace over the last 5 years of 9%, and well behind the 22% silking at this point last year.

The USDA reports 67% of the soybean crop is in “good” or “excellent” condition, 2% better than last week, and 22% better than last year’s 45%. The soybean crop is 91% emerged, now only 3% behind the average pace over the last 5 (94%), compared to 8% behind last week.

For the 18 states that harvested 88% of last year’s winter wheat acreage in the U.S., roughly 34% of the crop is in “good” or “excellent” condition, two points better than the 32% last week. For the 18 states that harvested 88% of last year’s winter wheat acreage in the U.S., roughly 43% of the crop is harvested. The current crop progress is behind the 2008-12 period average of 52% harvested at this time of the year, and well behind the 73% harvested at this time last year.

For the 6 states that planted 99% of last year’s spring wheat acreage in the U.S., roughly 68% of the crop is in “good” or “excellent” condition. At this time last year, 71% of the spring wheat crop was in “good” or “excellent” condition. Roughly 93% of the crop is emerged. The current crop progress is behind 2008-12 period average of 99% emerged at this time of the year, and at this time last year 100% of the spring wheat crop had emerged.