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Michigan dry bean & sugarbeet harvests in early stages

Michigan crop conditions have improved following recent cool weather.

Bay City grower John Burk tells Brownfield dry bean harvest is just getting started.

“There’s some water damage in certain areas, but some of these fields could be record yields in the dry beans,” he shares.

He says wet weather could also be problematic for some sugarbeets as early dig gets underway but crops overall look fantastic.

The USDA says corn is rated 70 percent good to excellent with 72 percent in the dough stage and 29 percent dented.

Soybeans are 96 percent setting pods, three percent dropping leaves, and 62 percent of the crop good to excellent.

Michigan dry beans are 89 percent setting pods and 15 percent dropping leaves while conditions improved to 49 percent good to excellent condition. Sugarbeets are rated 79 percent good to excellent.

Third cutting of alfalfa is 65 percent complete and fourth cutting is at 13 percent.

Apple harvest is expected to start soon while peaches and blueberries are nearly finished.  Weather conditions have been ideal for several vegetable diseases.

AUDIO: John Burk