Here’s the latest planting update excerpted from the Aug. 11 USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service bulletin (for week ending Aug. 8):
Corn: Acreage at or beyond the silking stage reached 89 percent by week’s end, 2 points behind last year and 
7 points slower than the 5-year average. Crop development was at or behind in all States except Colorado, where 27 percent of the crop began silking during the week, leaving progress 9 points ahead of the average. Meanwhile, 24 percent of the Nation’s crop was at or beyond the dough stage, 4 points behind last year and 22 points, or over 1 week, behind normal. The biggest delays were evident in Illinois and Indiana, where progress was more than 2 weeks behind the 5-year average. Acreage in the dent stage, at 5 percent, was 1 point behind last year and 9 points behind normal. Denting had not yet begun in most of the Corn Belt, but was ahead of the 5-year average in Texas. Overall, 68 percent of the corn crop was rated in good to excellent condition, unchanged from a week ago, but 1 point better than last year.
Soybeans: Nationally, 86 percent of this year’s soybean crop was at or beyond the blooming stage, 1 point behind last year and 7 points behind the average. Blooming was active across much of the growing region; however, progress remained at or behind the 5-year average in all estimating States. Pod set was evident in 55 percent of the crop by August 9, two points behind last year and 17 points behind normal. The crop in Illinois, Michigan, and North Dakota experienced lags of 34 points or more, leaving progress over 1 week behind normal. Overall, 66 percent of the soybean crop was rated in good to excellent condition, down 1 point from last week, but 3 points better than a year ago.