DES MOINES, Iowa -- Iowa farmers are inching closer to wrapping up the planting season.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture's Weekly Crop Report for the weekend ending May 17th says 96 percent of the state's corn and 86 percent of soybeans have been put in the ground.
Planting for both crops are a month ahead of last year and almost three weeks ahead of the five-year average.
Corn emergence improved to 62 percent, almost double that of the previous week, while about 25 percent of the soybean crop has emerged.
The department says some rain late in the week gave farmers 4.3 days in the field.