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Abnormally warm September impacting Michigan harvest

An unseasonably warm September is impacting Michigan farmers as harvest activity picks up.

Michigan Agribusiness Association vice president Dr. Tim Boring says the heat and dryness have accelerated crop development.

“It’s certainly hastened a lot of our harvest around the state.  For the second (consecutive year) we’re really dry.  And you add this heat on to the end of the season, it really stresses a lot of crops.  Soybean seed size is extremely small, which really limits the yield.”

He says there’s a fair number of soybeans in most fields, but the smallish size of the beans is what’s concerning.

Other crops have also been affected by the unusual September weather.

“Corn is maturing quite rapidly, (as are) a number of our other crops such as dry beans, sugar beets and potatoes.  It’s a lot warmer weather than we typically see for the final maturation stages of these crops, and it’s certainly hastening the maturity.”

After cool and wet conditions slowed planting progress in the spring, the late-summer warmth allowed Michigan crops to catch up.

The USDA says overall harvest progress is close to the five-year average.

 

*Audio courtesy of Agricultural Leaders of Michigan*