In the 18th Crop Progress report of the 2025 growing season, released August 4 by the USDA, crop conditions across the U.S. remained mostly stable-with corn holding steady and spring wheat deteriorating for a fourth consecutive week.

Corn Across the top 18 corn-producing states, 88% of the corn crop had reached the silking stage, just one point shy of the five-year average of 89%. Meanwhile, 42% had entered the dough stage, slightly ahead of the 40% five-year average.

The USDA also began reporting dent-stage corn this week. As of August 3, 6% of corn had reached the dent stage, in line with seasonal norms.

Crop condition ratings for corn remained steady:

• Good/excellent: 73%

• Fair: 20%

• Poor/very poor: 7%

Soybeans The USDA reports 85% of soybeans are blooming, one percentage point below the five-year average. Additionally, 58% of the crop has reached the setting pods stage, aligning with historical norms.

Soybean condition across the 18 key states:

• Good/excellent: 69%

• Fair: 24%

• Poor/very poor: 7%

Despite steady conditions, USDA notes that new-crop U.S. soybean export sales are at a 20-year low, adding pressure to the market outlook.

Winter Wheat Harvest of the winter wheat crop is nearing completion, with 86% of the crop harvested, just one point behind the five-year average of 87%.

Spring Wheat Spring wheat continues to show signs of stress. Across six key states:

• 95% of the crop has headed, slightly below the 98% five-year average.

• Harvest progress stands at 5%, compared to the five-year average of 9%.

Condition ratings for spring wheat have slipped again:

• Good/excellent: 48%

• Fair: 35%

• Poor/very poor: 17%

This marks the fourth consecutive week of decline for spring wheat condition ratings, raising concern among producers as harvest moves slowly.

Oats In the nine leading oat-growing states, 41% of the crop has been harvested, lagging behind the 46% five-year average.

Crop conditions for oats are as follows:

• Good/excellent: 58%

• Fair: 24%

• Poor/very poor: 18%

As August unfolds, producers and analysts will closely watch grain fundamentals, weather patterns, and export trends to assess how yield and market dynamics evolve across major commodities.