Long days give crops a push

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WASHINGTON, June 11 (UPI) -- U.S. farmers report the corn crop remains in better-than-average shape with farmers reporting only 8 percent of the crop was in poor or very poor condition.

The rest of the crop, as the long days set in, was in fair, good or excellent condition. A week earlier 6 percent of the crop was rated in the bottom two levels of poor or very poor.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said in its weekly progress report Monday that 97 percent of the soybean crop was planted compared with a five-year average of 85 percent for this time of year.

Farmers report 96 percent percent of the cotton crop is planted, up from 87 percent in the previous week. Nineteen of the cotton crop has reached the squaring stage compared with 11 percent a week earlier.

Farmers from 12 of the 18 largest winter wheat production states had 100 percent of the winter wheat crop headed out.

Thirty-five percent of the winter wheat gas been harvested, up from 20 percent a week earlier, farmers reported.