Crop Progress Update: Corn Condition Slightly Lower, Heavy Rain Forecast for Corn Belt

Jun 26, 2025

Baird analyst Mircea (Mig) Dobre provided the following quick take following this week’s USDA Crop Progress report.

Corn conditions were slightly worse vs. last week (still improved vs. 2024), while soybean conditions were unchanged. The percentage of corn crop rated good-to-excellent fell 2% week-over-week to 70%, soybeans were unchanged at 66%.

“Heavy rain is in the forecast this week across key corn/soy states. Corn (down nearly 4% in the past week to $4.20/bushel) and soybeans ($10.60/bushel) remain below levels needed for incremental equipment investment,” he notes. “Current conditions consistent for now with strong yield forecasts, commodity prices likely remain pressured.”

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Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.