The latest Crop Progress and Condition Report from the Iowa Department of Agriculture shows harvest season is ramping up.

According to the report, about five percent of corn has been harvested statewide, which is one week ahead of last year and the normal average, and about three percent of soybeans are harvested. Landus Cooperative Field Agronomist Dan Bjorklund says with harvest in full effect some farmers may not have to wait too long for corn to dry out.

“I was hearing a lot of reports of corn between 17 and 20 percent, which is really, really almost unheard of this part of September. It’s just because we’ve had these great, sunny, drying days with temperatures in the 80s and it’s dried it right down. It’s (the) perfect time at harvest. Obviously to store it, they need to get it to 15 percent, so there’ll have to be a little bit of drying there but it’s not going to take much.”

Bjorklund points out Tuesday’s rainfall did nothing in terms of helping crops finish developing, but he adds the moisture from that event will help for the future. He says he’s hearing some soybean yields from the Paton area 65 bushels per acre and near Scranton was from 55-65 bushels. He adds one area he continues to be concerned about is stock rot in corn. Bjorklund advises if farmers see that they should consider harvesting those crop fields sooner than later.