“Another week of abnormally dry weather helped Iowa farmers continue their early harvest of corn and soybeans,” KCRG.com in Cedar Falls, Iowa, reported yesterday.

According to the broadcast outlet, 37% of Iowa’s corn crop has been harvested, which is three weeks earlier than normal, says Iowa’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Nearly a quarter (23%) of the state’s soybean crop has also been harvested, over a week ahead of normal.

The station also reported that the average precipitation was only 0.17 inches, compared with “normal” for the week, which is 0.77 inches. This was the eighteenth week in the past 20 with less than normal precipitation.

Corn condition declined slightly and is now rated at 21% very poor, 29% poor, 32% fair, 17% good and 1% excellent. Nearly 80% of Iowa’s soybean fields are dropping leaves, a 24% increase from the previous week. Soybean condition is rated at 13% very poor, 21% poor, 40% fair, 24% good, and 2% excellent.