The 2012 Kansas Wheat Harvest - the earliest on record, according to Kansas Ag Statistics - is already 4% complete, the agency reported in its weekly Crop Report Tuesday. It has pushed as far north as Lincoln, Westfall and Vesper in Lincoln County, according to Mark Hafliger, commodity manager at AgMark, LLC. Loads have been intermittent so far at the three locations, but early test weights range from 55 to 61 and average 60 pounds per bushel; yields vary from 30 to 50 bushels per acre and protein ranges from 10 to 11.5.

Jeremy Kootz at the Ellsworth Coop in Holyrood says a few farmers started hauling in loads yesterday with moisture averaging 13% and test weights between 57 and 62 pounds per bushel. Although he is looking forward to harvest kicking into high gear soon, the forecast calls for much-needed rain, which will determine the pace for the rest of the week.

Harvest began May 26 for KAWG board member Randy Fritzemeier of Stafford. Yields on fields he has completed average about 45 bushels per acre; test weight averages 62 pounds per bushel, which has been a pleasant surprise given the extreme heat and dryness over the last month. Fritzemeier says isolated rains fell on some of his fields the first of the month, which helped his crop finish strong.

Yields are a little better than what farmers expected in the Team Marketing Alliance trade area, which covers 50 locations from Wichita to Salina. Areas that received timely rains showers are achieving yields from 50 to 70 bushels per acre; those that didn't average 30-50 bushels per acre, according to TMA's Ted Schultz. Quality and yield vary throughout the nine county area, but Schultz says protein and test weights are both good so far. Harvest will be in full blast in the region in a few days.

In southern Ford County, harvest is just beginning, according to Levi Benjamin, branch manager at the Offerle Coop Grain and Supply in Bucklin. After a day of light cutting, farmers are posting 58 pound per bushel test weights; protein is 13 and above. Yields average about 40 bushels per acre.

The 2012 Harvest Report is brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers and sponsors Kansas City Board of Trade, and the Kansas Grain & Feed Association