Nation s corn crop down from 07 levels

6/3/2008

The U.S. corn crop, the nation s biggest, is in worse shape than a year ago, when farmers produced a record harvest, after cold, wet weather flooded fields and delayed planting.

About 63 percent of the crop was in good or excellent condition as of yesterday, down from 78 percent a year earlier, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said yesterday in its first rating of this year s crop. About 74 percent of the seeds had emerged in the top 18 producing states, down from 92 percent a year earlier and the previous five-year average of 89 percent.