# Drought Monitor shows slight improvement in Midwest - Pro Farmer

> The May 19 U.S. Drought Monitor showed 76.1% of the country in abnormal dryness or drought, with 62.4% in D1 or worse. Drought coverage was unchanged for corn, soybean and winter wheat acres, while 63% of the cattle herd was in drought conditions. Recent rains eased drought in the Midwest and deep South, though hail and tornado damage occurred in the Plains.

- Date: 2026-05-21 · published 2026-05-21T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: weather · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/12992-drought-monitor-shows-slight-improvement-in-midwest-pro-farmer
- Commodities: [Wheat (HRW)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/KWHEAT.md), [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md), [Soybeans](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SOY.md), [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

Dryness covering 70% of winter wheat acres and most of the cattle herd supports HRW wheat and feed costs, but the slight Midwest improvement is mildly bearish for corn and soy risk premium.

## Read by commodity

- SOY: neutral
- CORN: neutral
- KWHEAT: bullish ▲
- LCATTLE: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| KWHEAT | 2026-01-08 | [Drought monitor shows mixed changes in the Midwest - Pro Farmer](https://feedsoft.ai/events/13023-drought-monitor-shows-mixed-changes-in-the-midwest-pro-farmer.md) | -1.7% | +1.3% |
| KWHEAT | 2026-02-12 | [Drought Monitor shows conditions intensify across the lower 48 - Pro Farmer](https://feedsoft.ai/events/13016-drought-monitor-shows-conditions-intensify-across-the-lower-48-pro-farmer.md) | +5.0% | +11.7% |
| KWHEAT | 2021-12-02 | [Expanded Dryness Intensifies Drought, U.S. Drought Monitor Report Shows](https://feedsoft.ai/events/13403-expanded-dryness-intensifies-drought-u-s-drought-monitor-report-shows.md) | -0.5% | -0.2% |
| KWHEAT | 2026-03-26 | [Drought continues to expand in the Plains - Pro Farmer](https://feedsoft.ai/events/13007-drought-continues-to-expand-in-the-plains-pro-farmer.md) | -0.6% | +7.9% |
| KWHEAT | 2026-06-25 | [Midwest crops fare well amid variable drought \| Feed & Grain](https://feedsoft.ai/events/12983-midwest-crops-fare-well-amid-variable-drought-feed-and-grain.md) | +1.0% | +23.1% |
| CORN | 2018-06-14 | [Weather impacts still being felt in the Midwest \| Farm Progress](https://feedsoft.ai/events/64384-weather-impacts-still-being-felt-in-the-midwest-farm-progress.md) | -3.8% | -6.7% |
| CORN | 2023-11-16 | [Fall Rains Ease Midwest Drought and Replenish Mississippi River - Farmer Mac](https://feedsoft.ai/events/33358-fall-rains-ease-midwest-drought-and-replenish-mississippi-river-farmer-mac.md) | +0.0% | -2.2% |
| CORN | 2025-07-04 | [Rain Eases Drought in Parts of Midwest, But Heat Adds Stress](https://feedsoft.ai/events/13076-rain-eases-drought-in-parts-of-midwest-but-heat-adds-stress.md) | -6.0% | -6.0% |

## Sources

- profarmer.com: https://www.profarmer.com/news/agriculture-news/drought-monitor-shows-slight-improvement-midwest

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.