The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its weekly crop condition report on Monday, indicating that 60% of the nation’s corn crop was rated in good‑to‑excellent condition, a decline of one percentage point from the previous week and the lowest rating recorded for calendar week 33 since 2023. This downgrade prompted a modest rise in corn futures on the Chicago Board of Trade, with the December contract gaining approximately 2‑3 cents per bushel and trading at $4.92‑¼ per bushel on Tuesday. Field scouts conducting their annual tour of major U.S. corn‑producing states observed that South Dakota’s corn yield outlook is weaker than both the prior year and the three‑year average, attributing the shortfall to a hot and dry summer season. The article notes that it was generated with AI assistance and subsequently reviewed by an editor.