Iowa farmers have harvested 12 percent of corn crops, which is almost three weeks ahead of last year and nine days ahead of the five-year average and the highest percentage harvested by Sept. 27 since 2012. Conditions are rated at only 42 percent good to excellent with 97 percent of the state’s crop in or beyond dent stage with only about 18 percent of the crop having reached maturity. Soybean harvest is at about 30 percent complete, 19 days ahead of last year and 12 days ahead of the average. This too is the largest proportion harvested since Sept. 27, 2012. Farmers in the northwest and west central regions lead the state in harvest completion with almost half of the soybean acreage harvested. Soybean conditions are rated 47 percent good to excellent. According to the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report for the week ending Sept. 27, warmer, drier conditions aided producers in their efforts to get the crops out of the fields. But those conditions are not expected to carry through this week. “A shift in weather pattern has brought cooler temperatures with forecasts indicating the possibility of the season’s first frost later this week,” say Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Naig. The full report can be found at nass.usda.gov/ia.