Eighty-one percent of the nation's corn has been harvested, a seven-percent dip from last year at this time but only one percent behind the five-year average, according to today's USDA Crop Progress report.

Ninety percent of the 2006 soybean crop was harvested as of yesterday, also slightly behind last year, when 95% of the crop was out of the field by November 5. Like corn, the soybean harvest progress is closer to the five-year average, 91% by November 5 for 2001-2005.

Sorghum harvest was also off pace as of Monday's USDA report, as 70% of the crop had been harvested by Sunday compared to 78% at this time last year and the five-year average of 76%. Ninety-five percent of the sorghum crop is matured.

Continue article

ADVERTISEMENT

Closer to pace is both winter wheat plantings and emergence: As of Sunday, 94% of the nation's winter wheat had been planted, one percent down from 2005 but on pace with the five-year average. Emergence was only slightly lower, with 82% emerged as of Sunday, compared to 83% in both 2005 and on average the past five years.

Overall, winter wheat conditions were slightly improved over the previous week, with 59% in good to excellent condition, compared to 54% last week. Thirty-two percent of the crop is rated as fair, with nine percent very poor to poor. Last year at this time, 58% of winter wheat was rated good to excellent and 43% in very poor to fair condition.

Other harvest progress as of November 5:

• Cotton: 59% (compared to 61% in 2005 and five-year average of 60%)
• Peanuts: 78% (compared to 85% in 2005 and five-year average of 86%)
• Sugarbeets: 93% (compared to 95% in 2005 and five-year average of 96%)
• Sunflowers: 83% (compared to 82% in 2005 and five-year average of 75%)