Corn, soybean harvest winding down - KTIV News 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and Sports

Iowa farmers are close to wrapping up this year's harvest as much needed rain finally fell across most of the state.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says 87 percent of the corn crop has been harvested, which is a month ahead of schedule. Ninety-three percent of the soybean crop is in from the fields, which is three weeks ahead of normal.

The USDA says in Monday's report that rain over the weekend helped Iowa's pasture and range land. Hay supplies are running short across 41 percent of the state. Calves are being weaned and sold early due to the short supply of winter hay.

The statewide average rainfall last week was 1.65 inches, triple the normal for the week. It was Iowa's wettest week since early May.

In Nebraska, the corn harvest is 80 percent complete, one month ahead of average.  The soybean harvest was nearly 86 percent complete, about three weeks ahead of average.

And in South Dakota, the corn harvest is 90 percent complete.  That's up from 78 percent a week earlier and far outpacing the five-year average of 22 percent.  The soybean harvest in the Rushmore State is 98 percent complete, also well ahead of the five-year average.