Nebraska corn crop rolling ahead

In this week’s crop progress report, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said 90 percent of Nebraska’s corn crop was silking as of August 2.

That is 1 point ahead of last year’s crop and 4 points behind the five-year average. Corn in the dough stage reached 20 percent, which is 2 points ahead of last year but 11 points – about four days – behind average.

Although a bit behind, the crop remains in outstanding condition, with 79 percent rated good to excellent, 4 points ahead of last year. Only 7 percent of the crop is rated poor.

For more information and details - and to see crop progress in photos - be sure to visit the Nebraska Corn Board's Crop Progress Update.

Nationally, 76 percent of the crop is silking. That's 3 points behind last year and 13 points behind the five-year average. USDA said 14 percent of the nation's crop is in the dough stage, 1 point behind last year and 15 points behind the average. On the overall crop condition front, 68 percent of the crop is in good to excellent condition. That's 2 points behind last week but 2 points ahead of last year.

This week's photo comes to the Nebraska Corn Board from the Heartland FFA Chapter. It shows corn getting closer to maturity.