Wheat harvest across Kansas is at the halfway mark, behind last year but close to the five-year average.

That's according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service, which reports harvest at 53 percent complete, well behind 76 percent complete last year but near 56 percent average. Winter wheat conditions were rated 24 percent poor to very poor, 28 percent fair and 48 percent good to excellent. In Southeast Kansas, 58 percent of wheat has been harvested.

The Kansas Wheat Commission reports that farmers are still seeing the effects of heavy rainfall, with muddy fields and delayed progress in several areas. In south central Kansas and north along the I-135 corridor, excessive rainfall on mature wheat has made harvest difficult. As fields start to dry out and combines cut around mud holes, some localized quality issues are being reported, but harvest continues as the calendar flips to July.