Crop condition ratings for the western corn belt continued historically high in Monday’s USDA crop progress report. In Minnesota 89-percent of the corn crop is good to excellent up two percent from last week, with 83-percent of the soybeans carrying that same rating. Gene Stoel farms near Lake Wilson, Minnesota and says the crop is the best he’s seen since he started farming.

South Dakota also saw an improvement in corn ratings which were up 1-percent at 77-percent good to excellent, with 76-percent of the beans in the same category. Keith Mockler with Monsanto says the conditions are ripe for a bumper corn and bean crop in the state and region.

He says beyond just early planting and ideal weather conditions this sesaon, there were very few low spots that got drowned out which will help pull up yield averages.