Michigan soybean harvest is ahead of the 5-year average pace according to USDA’s Monday Crop Progress Report. 77% of soybeans are harvested in the state while Michigan corn is 43% harvested, right on that 5-year average pace.
Agronomist Josh Whelan covers Lansing north and over to The Thumb. He shares what he’s seeing in this Pioneer Field Update.
“The farther north you get, a little bit behind on harvest just due to some heavier rainfall and some dry down problems. Most of the rest of the area I cover has moved right along.”
Whelan says, overall, soybeans handled the drought stress from the growing season really well with yields hovering right around average. Green stems made farmers slow the combine down early in harvest.
“Well, now we have the green stems gone, but our beans are down to about 9%. So, we’re starting to see some shatter in places and a few beans bouncing off that header. So, it’s always a good thing to walk behind the combine and see what you’re spitting out the back or bouncing off the head. And just be aware with these couple of rainfalls, these wet and dry cycles can really cause some shattering out there.”
Whelan calls corn yields “impressive” given the drought stress faced this year.
“We didn’t have the disease pressure that we’ve had in years past, especially last year with tar spot, but we are definitely seeing some dings to yield in certain areas. The Thumb has had some lower yields, lower than they were hoping for, due to the drought conditions there. They were dry all the way through August. But, again, better than what they were originally planning on.”
Hear the full MAT interview with Pioneer agronomist Josh Whelan below.
