The U.S. corn harvest is underway as farmers enter the final stages of a growing season marked by uneven weather and declining crop conditions. USDA’s latest Crop Progress report showed 5% of the nation’s corn had been harvested as of Sept. 6, compared with the five-year average of 3%. About 25% of the crop had reached maturity. However, only 56% of the crop was rated good to excellent, down another percentage point from the previous week and the lowest rating of the 2026 growing season. Soybeans continued developing ahead of their normal pace, with 26% of the crop dropping leaves compared with the five-year average of 20%. The declining corn rating will increase attention on USDA’s upcoming Crop Production and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates reports. Traders and producers are looking for evidence that late-season weather reduced yield potential after USDA projected a large crop earlier this summer. Harvest will expand rapidly across the Corn Belt during the coming weeks.
Corn harvest begins as U.S. crop condition continues to decline
