News

Michigan crops advance ahead of normal

Sporadic and excessive rains stalled fieldwork in many parts of Michigan last week.

Michigan Soybean Committee President Mark Senk tells Brownfield it’s been manageable on his farm in the central part of the state.

“We’ve been getting ample rain, so not too excessive amounts in my area,” he shares. “I know sometimes you go not too far from our farms and you can see some standing water and some fields, but pretty much everything on my farm in my neighborhood looks pretty good.”

AUDIO: Mark Senk

The USDA says soybeans are 96 percent emerged and 13 percent blooming, both ahead of last year, with 59 percent of the crop good to excellent.

Winter wheat in Michigan is rated 75 percent good to excellent with 44 percent mature and three percent harvested, ahead of last year and the five-year average

Corn is rated good to excellent 73 percent good to excellent while sugarbeets are at 80 percent.

Dry beans are 96 percent planted, 88 percent emerged, and rated 63 percent good to excellent. First cutting of alfalfa is 85 percent complete and second cutting is at 16 percent.

Tart cherry, peach and blueberry harvests are underway in the southern and central parts of the state.  Michigan vegetable growers are harvesting several different crops, some earlier than normal.