Nearly a Month Without USDA Crop Progress Report as Combines Keep Rolling

The USDA was expected to publish the 29th Crop Progress report of the growing season today, but the report was not published for a third week because of the continued government shutdown.

The shutdown has affected three of the four expected October reports from USDA. Just five more reports are anticipated after today for the 2025 season: one more in October, and four in November.

In lieu of data from USDA, here are progress and condition estimates from other industry sources.

Corn

U.S. corn harvest reached an estimated 59% the week ending Oct. 19, based on a poll conducted by Reuters. Estimates by 11 analysts polled ranged from 51–66%.

The analysts rated 63% of the U.S. corn crop good/excellent, on average. Corn condition estimates ranged from 61–65%.

Regional and State Reports

Corn Belt

Wyffels Hybrids published a new harvest report on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025. Harvest and yield data have come in from individual farms across Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin as recently as Sunday.

“Yield results remain highly variable and localized. Disease management and weather conditions continue to be the biggest factor in those returns,” according to the Wyffels update. “The majority of the region is seeing 200-250 [bpa], with outliers popping-up across the region.”

The update continued: “While the weather is finally feeling like fall, the hot and dry start to October accelerated plant drydown. As a result, stalk integrity issues are common, especially in fields with heavy disease pressure.”

Iowa

Wyffels Agronomist Eric Wilson reported corn harvest in southeast Iowa is almost finished for most growers. “Northeast and southwest Iowa are not as far along but near the 50% mark,” he added.

Both Wilson and a Syngenta agronomist, Logan Dinkla, reported highly variable yields for corn in the Hawkeye state.

Illinois

“Corn harvest is 80% complete in western Illinois,” said Ryan Gentle, a Wyffels agronomist. “We got a measurable rain for the first time in several weeks, but it came with some wind. There are reports of down corn in areas where harvest wasn’t completed. This is not surprising as stalks have definitely deteriorated with the disease and environmental conditions in last few weeks,” he said.

Syngenta agronomist Phil Krieg said progress at the southern end of the state was near 70%.

Nebraska

“Nebraska corn harvest is probably around 40% complete. Progress took a pause for a few days because of widespread precipitation,” according to Syngenta agronomist Travis Gustafson. “Fields have dried out enough to resume harvest.”

Like in Iowa, Gustafson said yields are variable in his state. “Where farmers were proactive in disease prevention by using fungicides, yields are around 270 [bpa]. However, where farmers were not as timely with fungicides, yields are coming in around 230 [bpa],” he said.

Wisconsin

Syngenta agronomist Nick Groth estimated about 30% of the corn fields in Wisconsin had been harvested by Sunday, with slightly above-average yields throughout the state.

Minnesota

“Corn Harvest in Minnesota continues at a rapid pace. I would estimate that corn harvest as an average is over half done here in the state,” said Syngenta agronomist Tim Dahl. He also reported variable yields, primarily due to disease impacts.

Soybeans

The average estimate for U.S. soybean harvest as of Oct. 19 was 73%, according to the Reuters poll. Analyst estimates ranged from 61–82%.

Regional Reports

Iowa

Dinkla estimated greater than 90% of the soybeans in his coverage area had been harvested. “For the most part, soybean yields have been good,” he said.

“Most soybeans are harvested at this point,” said Wilson of his territory.

Illinois

“Soybean harvest is virtually complete in western Illinois. It is hard to find a field of beans still standing in the area,” Gentle shared. “Yields were good, in the 65-90 bpa range.”

Nebraska

Gustafson said that “soybean harvest in Nebraska is all but complete.”

“Farmers have generally been pretty happy with yields with most irrigated yields coming in around 70 bpa,” he shared. 

Wisconsin

“There are still scattered fields across Wisconsin that are yet to be harvested, but as a whole I would estimate we are approaching 90% of soybean fields harvested,” Groth said. He shared that great growing conditions during pod fill resulted in strong yields.

“Growers seem to be pleased with the soybean crop across the state,” Groth said.

Minnesota

Dahl said that harvest in his state is either done or nearing completion. “As with corn, there are some pretty wild swings in yield,” he said. “Some pockets in Minnesota experienced excessive rains that the soybeans couldn’t tolerate.”

Winter Wheat

U.S. winter wheat planting progress was estimated at 75%, according to the Reuters poll. Analyst estimates ranged from 73–80%.