Crop Conditions Deteriorating, Still 68% of Corn, 65% of Soybeans Rated Good to Excellent

Aug 22, 2018

The USDA's national good to excellent ratings for corn and soybeans both declined modestly over the past week. Some of the drier parts of the U.S. Midwest saw only scattered rainfall over the weekend, but condition ratings typically decline as crops get closer to harvest and both corn and beans remain in better shape than this time last year.

As of Sunday, 68% of U.S. corn is rated good to excellent, 2% lower than last week, but up 6% from last year, with 85% at the dough making stage and 44% dented, both ahead of their respective five-year averages of 72% and 26%.

65% of U.S. soybeans are called good to excellent, 1% less than a week ago, but 6% more than a year ago with 91% in the pod setting stage, compared to 83% on average.

74% of U.S. spring wheat is in good to excellent condition, down 1% on the week, but up 40% on the year, with 60% of the crop harvested, compared to the usual pace of 44%.

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Video: Sweetener Effects on Gut Health - Dr. Kwangwook Kim

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Kwangwook Kim, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, discusses the use of non-nutritive sweeteners in nursery pig diets. He explains how sucralose and neotame influence feed intake, gut health, metabolism, and the frequency of diarrhea compared to antibiotics. The conversation highlights mechanisms beyond palatability, including hormone signaling and nutrient transport. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Receptors responsible for sweet taste are present not only in the mouth but also along the intestinal tract.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Kwangwook Kim / kwangwook-kim is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, specializing in swine nutrition and feed additives under disease challenge models. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from the University of California, Davis, where he focused on intestinal health and metabolic responses in pigs. His research evaluates alternatives to antibiotics, targeting gut health and performance in nursery pigs.