By Julie Ingwersen CHICAGO, May 11 (Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Monday rated 28% of the nation’s winter wheat crop in good-to-excellent condition, a drop of 3 percentage points from the previous week and the lowest for this time of year since 2022. • The good-to-excellent ratings for winter wheat bucked trade expectations for a 1-point improvement. Analysts surveyed by Reuters on average had expected the USDA to rate 32% of the crop as good-to-excellent, with estimates ranging from 30% to 34% good-to-excellent. • In Kansas, the largest U.S. winter wheat producer, the USDA rated 17% of the state’s crop as good to excellent as of Sunday, down from 22% the prior week. Weekly wheat ratings also declined in Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas. • Drought has gripped much of the Plains, the main U.S. winter wheat region. Approximately 70% of the U.S. winter wheat crop is in an area experiencing drought, the government said last week, compared to 22% a year ago. • Farmers continued to plant spring crops. For corn, the USDA said planting was 57% complete by Sunday, ahead of the average analyst estimate of 55% and the five-year average pace of 52%. • Soybean planting was 49% complete, the USDA reported, ahead of the average trade estimate of 48% and the five-year average of 36%. • Spring wheat planting was 53% complete, the USDA said, above the average analyst estimate of 50% and the five-year average of 51%. All figures in percent: Category Analyst Analyst USDA USDA average r …
