DES MOINES, Iowa-A new crop con­di­tion re­port shows cool­er weath­er and spot­ty rain­fall in the mid­dle of the US has slowed the de­te­ri­o­ra­tion of the na­tion's corn and soy­bean crop. The US De­part­ment of Agri­cul­ture says in the 18 states that grow most of the corn, 51 per cent of the crop was rat­ed very poor or poor last week. It was 50 per cent a week ear­li­er. Twen­ty-six per cent of the corn was rat­ed fair, com­pared with 27 per cent a week ear­li­er. Twen­ty-three per cent re­mained rat­ed good or ex­cel­lent. Thir­ty-eight per cent of soy­beans were rat­ed very poor or poor, com­pared with 39 per cent the week be­fore. Thir­ty-two per cent re­mained in fair con­di­tion. Thir­ty per cent was good or ex­cel­lent, in a slight im­prove­ment from 29 per cent the pri­or week. (AP)