This is Day 17 of the 2012 Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports, brought to you by the Kansas City Board of Trade, the Kansas Grain & Feed Association, the Kansas Wheat Commission and Kansas Association of Wheat Growers.

According to the weekly Crop Report issued by Kansas Ag Statistics Monday, the Kansas wheat harvest is about 80% complete. And with strong winds and high temperatures, farmers are making short work of the remaining Kansas crop.

St. Francis Mercantile Equity Exchange has taken in about 300,000 bushels so far, says Grain Manager Shirley Zweygardt. Test weights range from 60 to 65 pounds per bushel with yields above 50 bushels per acre and protein averaging 13. Zweygardt has been pleased with the harvest so far, as she expected to see more stressed wheat in the area.

With about 30% of the area's wheat cut, harvest is in full swing in Sherman County, says Tamara Nagel, office manager at Kanorado Co-op. This year's crop is looking to be better than expected with test weights averaging 60 pounds per bushel. Area farmers are rushing to get their crops cut while the weather is favorable, says Nagel.

The Logan County harvest is approaching the midway point, says Mindy Kirk, bookkeeper at the Winona Feed and Grain in Winona. The wheat crop in that area has been much better than expected, with yields ranging from 40 to 60 bushels per acre. Test weight averages 61 pounds and protein, 12.5.

Ken Jameson, grain merchandiser at the Garden City Co-op in Garden City says that with dryland wheat harvest winding down, this year's harvest has been poor. Yields at the company's 18 locations are averaging about 22 bushels per acre, with test weight at 61 pounds and protein averaging 12.5 at southern locations, and 12 at northern locations. The company hopes to take in 7 million bushels this year, well off its 10 million bushel average, but better than last year's 4.3 million bushel crop. The harvest of irrigated wheat is just beginning. Irrigated wheat is just now beginning to be cut, which should improve yields.