(Radio Iowa) – Dry conditions allowed farmers to spend a lot of time on the tractor last week. The new U-S-D-A crop report shows nearly half of the state corn crop was planted in the last week — taking the percentage from 20 to 69 percent completed. The fast pace now puts the corn planting nine days ahead of the five-year average.

There were plenty of beans in planters as well. The percentage of soybeans planted moved from six to 43 percent in the last week. The bean planting is now 12 days ahead of normal.