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Slight rain delays provide bump to Michigan soil moisture levels

The head of Cooperative Elevator says the start of dry bean harvest hasn’t been ideal.

Scott Gordon tells Brownfield about 40 percent of their expected crop has been harvested.

“It’s been a lot of hurry up and waiting with regards to some rains and some not ideal harvest conditions,” he shares.

Gordon says harvest is expected to pick up this week with the dry forecast.

“The crop looks fairly good,” he says. “Bean size is a little bit smaller, moisture is in some areas a little lower than desired for storing and processing things.”

The USDA says topsoil moisture in the state is 60 percent short to very short, and subsoil moisture supplies are 61 percent short to very short, a slight improvement from the week before.

The latest weekly USDA crop update shows seven percent of corn and 14 percent of soybeans statewide harvested, with 48 percent of corn mature, and soybeans dropping leaves at 82 percent.

Sugarbeets are 13 percent complete, while winter wheat is 17 percent planted.