Crop conditions mostly favorable

WASHINGTON, June 15 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture said 57 percent of the corn crop was in very good to excellent condition, in spite of a late planting season.

An additional 31 percent of the crop is in fair condition, while 12 percent is in poor to very poor shape. The percentages changed only marginally from a week ago, before heavy rains pelted much of the Midwest.

The soybean crop in the country's 18 largest soybean producing states is in similar shape, with 90 percent in fair to excellent shape, while 10 percent is in poor to very poor condition.

As the harvest begins with the U.S. winter wheat crop, 22 percent is in poor to very poor condition, while 78 percent is in either fair, good or excellent shape.

In Oklahoma, an important wheat producing state, 65 percent of the crop is in poor or very poor condition, while the weekly crop progress report listed 35 percent of Oklahoma's wheat crop in fair, good or excellent.

In contrast, 100 percent of California's winter wheat crop is listed as either fair, very good or excellent. A full 75 percent of California's crop is listed as in excellent shape.