WASHINGTON — Thirty-one percent of the corn crop in the 18 major states was harvested as of Oct. 19 compared with 53 percent as the five-year average for the date, the US Department of Agriculture said in its Oct. 20 Crop Progress report. In top- producing Illinois and Iowa, the corn harvest was 43 percent and 19 percent completed, respectively. The recent average progress for the date was 63 percent completed in Illinois and 53 percent in Iowa.

Corn rated mature as of Oct. 19 was 93 percent compared with a 94 percent five-year average, the USDA said.


Crop conditions as of Oct. 19 remained unchanged from the previous week at 74 percent good to excellent, 19 percent fair and 7 percent very poor to poor. That compared with 60 percent good to excellent, 26 percent fair and 14 percent very poor to poor in the same week a year ago, the USDA said.

The soybean crop in the 18 major states was 53 percent harvested as of Oct. 19 compared with 66 percent as the five-year average. In top-producing Illinois, 37 percent of the harvest was completed in the latest week compared with 66 percent as the average for the date.

The USDA said 95 percent of the soybean crop was dropping leaves compared with 97 percent as the five-year average.

Soybean crop conditions as of Oct. 19 remained unchanged from the previous week at 73 percent good to excellent, 21 percent fair and 6 percent very poor to poor. That compared with 57 percent good to excellent, 29 percent fair and 14 percent very poor to poor in the same week a year ago.