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Michigan crops advancing ahead of average

The Chairman of the Michigan Soybean Committee says there have not been enough dry days to finish planting in his region.

Mark Senk tells Brownfield he still has to plant about 1,000 acres of soybeans.

“It seems like we get a little rain every few days and can’t seem to get the planting complete although the weather has been kind of perfect if the seeds are in the ground,” he explains.

The USDA says soybeans are 66 percent planted and 35 percent emerged, while 75 percent of corn is planted and 41 percent emerged, all ahead of the five-year average.

Sugarbeets are 95 percent emerged and rated 95 percent good to excellent. The first cutting of alfalfa is now 17 percent complete.

Senk says he is surprised at how well wheat is progressing.

“Going into the winter, I didn’t think we were even going to get much of anything out of what we planted, but it comes through winter well and it actually looks pretty good right now,” he shares.

USDA says winter wheat in Michigan is rated 73 percent good to excellent with 91 percent jointed and 56 percent headed, ahead last year and the five-year average.

Fruit growers are reporting trees are bouncing back from frost damage while asparagus harvest is starting to slow.

AUDIO: Mark Senk