Iowa remains a bright spot with 87% of the corn crop rated good or excellent, but local tight tassel wrap is still a concern in southern and northeast regions. Agronomist Eric Wilson reports that fields planted between April10-15 are showing the most pollination issues, including missing kernels on certain hybrids, though it's not universal across the state. One Iowa grower called his crop "the best I've seen." As of July27, 84% of Iowa corn has silked and 34% is in the dough stage, both slightly ahead of the five-year average.

Illinois trails slightly with 71% rated good or excellent, but tight tassel wrap persists in western and southern zones. Wyffels' agronomist Ryan Gentle and Syngenta's Phil Krieg report scattered but notable pollination disruptions. Krieg advises growers to watch closely during plot days and seed talks. Silking and dough percentages for Illinois stand at 92% and 35% respectively, each well ahead of five-year norms.

Nebraska shows 77% rated good or excellent, with crop conditions notably solid. Agronomist Travis Gustafson notes some "shy tassels" - tassels fully emerged but not visually dominant - but says pollination appears unaffected. Nebraska is slower in development: silking is at 76%, nine points behind average, and 20% in dough, three points behind norms.

Key Takeaways for U.S. Agriculture Professionals

• Record-high "excellent" ratings signal strong overall crop potential.

• Tight tassel wrap remains a localized pollination risk, especially in parts of Iowa and Illinois, particularly in fields planted mid-April-with possible hybrid sensitivity.

• Nebraska shows development lag but fewer pollination issues so far.

• Insights should inform decisions on crop insurance timing, seed choice, and precision agriculture sprayer management during pollination windows.

• Tracking progress relative to five-year averages helps benchmark regional yield expectations and input cost efficiency.