USDA: 75% of Corn Rated Good to Excellent, 71% of Soybeans

Jul 11, 2018

The USDA's national good to excellent rating on soybeans held steady last week, while corn declined slightly. Some key U.S. growing areas have recently received too much rainfall, while others are expected to see a hot, dry pattern for most of this week, but for now, corn and beans are both in good shape overall.

As of Sunday, 75% of U.S. corn is rated good to excellent, down 1% on the week, with 37% of the crop silking, compared to 18% both last year and for the five-year average.

71% of U.S. soybeans are in good to excellent shape, unchanged from a week ago, with 47% of the crop blooming, compared to 27% on average, and 11% at the pod setting stage, compared to 4% normally this time of year.

80% of U.S. spring wheat is in good to excellent condition, a week to week improvement of 3%, with 81% of the crop headed, compared to the usual pace of 69%.

Click here to see more...

Video: What Does 20 MILLION Hogs a Year Look Like?

?? The Multi-Plant System Processing 20 Million Hogs Annually in the Midwest JBS USA operates multiple large-scale pork processing facilities across the Midwest, including major plants in Iowa, Minnesota, and Indiana. Combined, these facilities have the capacity to process approximately 20 million hogs annually.

Each plant operates high-speed automated slaughter systems capable of processing up to 20,000 head per day, followed by fabrication lines that break carcasses into primals, sub-primals, and case-ready retail products.

Hog procurement is coordinated through electronic marketing platforms that connect regional contract finishing operations and independent producers to plant demand schedules. This digital procurement system allows for steady supply flow and scheduling efficiency across multiple facilities.

Processing plants incorporate comprehensive food safety systems, including pathogen intervention technologies, rapid chilling processes, and integrated cold-chain management. USDA inspection is embedded throughout the harvest and fabrication stages to ensure regulatory compliance and product integrity. Finished pork products — from bulk primals to retail-ready packaged cuts — are distributed through coordinated logistics networks serving domestic and export markets.