Overall corn conditions improved in the last week, while soybean ratings dipped from the previous week's levels, according to this week's USDA-NASS Crop Progress report released Monday afternoon.

In a day that saw CBOT corn futures rally late, NASS pegged 58% of the nation's corn crop in good-to-excellent condition, compared to 56% a week ago. Monday's estimate is identical to the same week a year ago.

Corn conditions are seen best in the western and northern Corn Belt: Seventy-six percent of the North Dakota crop and 79% of Nebraska's corn is in good-to-excellent shape. On the other end of the conditions spectrum, NASS estimates 44% of Ohio's corn crop is in good-to-excellent shape.

Turning to soybeans, Monday's good-to-excellent rating of 54% is two percent down from the previous week and four percent lower than a year ago. There seems to be no epicenter for soybean quality ratings, with the highest percentages of good-to-excellent beans found in Mississippi (74%), North Dakota (75%) and Iowa (76%). Contrarily, Kentucky (34%), Missouri (30%) North Carolina (24%) and Tennessee (12%) saw this week's lowest good-to-excellent soybean rating percentages.

Crop development was slightly ahead of normal for both corn and soybean crops. In other crops, cotton conditions were down slightly, while sorghum ratings were up slightly from the previous week.

Overall corn conditions improved in the last week, while soybean ratings dipped from the previous week's levels, according to this week's USDA-NASS Crop Progress report released Monday afternoon.