Crop update: Corn crop is up and (rapidly) growing

In its weekly crop progress report, the U.S. Department of Agriculture noted that 96 percent of the state's corn crop had emerged, which is up from 79 percent last week and 99 percent last year. The five-year average is 97 percent emerged.

Nationally, this figure stands at 94 percent, up from last week's 85 percent emerged. That figure is well ahead of last year's 85 percent emerged by the first week of June. The five-year average is 91 percent emerged by this date.

As for crop condition, USDA said 85 percent of Nebraska's crop is in good to excellent condition. It rated 14 percent as fair and only 1 percent as poor (and none as very poor).

Nationally, 76 percent of the crop is in good to excellent condition, with 19 percent fair and 5 percent poor to very poor. This figure is similar to last week but well ahead of last year.

This week's photos come from the Nebraska Corn Board's Flickr page, specifically its crop progress set. The top photo with the measuring tape was submitted to the Corn Board by the Howells Clarkson FFA Chapter, while the photo below came from the Imperial FFA Chapter.

Both show corn plants benefiting from ample moisture and good growing weather.