USDA Reports Strong Corn and Soybean Progress in Iowa and Indiana

The United States Department of Agriculture reports that corn and soybean crops in Iowa and Indiana are progressing well as they approach the fall harvest. In Iowa, 47% of corn acres have reached the dent stage, placing the 2026 crop five percentage points ahead of last year, with 78% of corn and 77% of soybeans rated as good to excellent.

Iowa State Climatologist Justin Glisan noted that weather from August 17 through August 23 was unseasonably dry, with average precipitation of just over two-tenths of an inch. However, topsoil and subsoil moisture remain mostly adequate. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig stated that warmer temperatures and near-normal rainfall into early September should support crop maturation.

In Indiana, the National Agricultural Statistics Service reported that corn dough reached 82% and corn dented reached 33%, both slightly exceeding last year's figures and five-year averages. Soybean pod setting reached 88%, matching the previous year's progress. Crop conditions for both corn and soybeans in Indiana were predominantly rated as good, at 54% and 53% respectively, while 55% of topsoil and 61% of subsoil were rated as adequate.