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Waterlogging could be an issue for some Michigan farmers

A Southwest Michigan farmer says waterlogging is widespread in many areas of his region.

Allegan County’s Jake Drozd tells Brownfield, “Somebody turned the faucet on and never turned it off.”

“It’s been raining nonstop, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, I wish it would stop raining all of a sudden because honestly we’re too wet,” he shares.

The USDA says 86 percent of corn has emerged in Michigan and 74 percent is good to excellent. Soybeans are 95 percent planted, 83 percent emerged, and 69 percent good to excellent.

Drozd says ponding will mean production losses at harvest.

“Some of the plants are turning yellow, and that’s irreversible,” he explains. “It’ll turn green after so long, but that yellowness, that stays, that’s already robbing yield as is.”

Michigan wheat is 89 percent headed and rated 58 percent good to excellent.

Drozd grows corn, soybeans, and some milo with his family in Allegan.