Rainfall last week hampered significant planting progress in Michigan, leaving 2.0 days suitable for fieldwork.
According to USDA’s weekly Crop Progress Report for Michigan, it’s too early to tell how extensive flooding, soil erosion and crop damage was from the heavy precipitation.
Corn planting increased 11 percent from last week. 70 percent of Michigan’s corn is planted, compared to 88 percent complete nationally. 28 percent of the crop is emerged, 17 percent more than last week. 49 percent of the Michigan crop is rated good to excellent condition, and 42 percent is in fair condition.
65 percent of the soybeans have been planted in Michigan, an increase of 9 percent from last week. Nationally, 65 percent of the crop has been planted. 25 percent of Michigan’s soybeans are out of the ground, 14 percent more than last week.
81 percent of the winter wheat is in the jointing stage, nine points ahead of the five-year average. 89 percent of the crop is rated in fair to excellent condition.
Sugarbeet planting is nearing the finish line. 97 percent of the crop has been planted, 3 percent more than last year and on pace with the five-year average. Nationally, 93 percent of sugarbeet planting is complete. 82 percent of Michigan’s sugarbeets have emerged, 10 percent more than last week. 35 percent of the crop is rated good to excellent condition. 51 percent is rated as fair condition.
The rain also didn’t help the state’s fruit producers. The long, wet period was conducive to cherry leaf spot and apple scab infection. Growth did benefit from warm temperatures at the end of the week.
The freeze event from earlier in the month was widespread to the apple crop, and the blueberries in the West Central part of the state suffered little to no damage.
Asparagus ad rhubarb harvest in the East has been limited, but asparagus harvest in the Southwest returned to full capacity.
