Another week of hot and dry weather gave farmers across the state ample time to continue with planting — but worries over rain are starting to mount.
Michigan’s corn and soybean crops were each 80% planted as of May 28, according to the latest Crop Progress report from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Corn emergence more than doubled to 43%, with soybeans following suit, at 37% emerged — both following in line with historical averages, despite the dry conditions.
Things aren’t looking better anytime soon, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s precipitation outlook. The map below shows most of the Lower Peninsula as having a 40% to 50% below normal probability for rain in the coming days, while also predicting warmer-than-average temperatures.
“We are one of the driest Mays we have had on record, over the last 100-plus years,” said Theresa Sisung, MFB industry relations specialist. “My concerns right now are for some of the early planted crops. We need to get them up and out of the ground.”
Eaton County Farm Bureau President Brett Roberts said if there’s not some considerable rain soon, he’ll have to think about replanting.
“We are waiting to see what stands will be established, then we’ll go back and count those stands, and we’ll see if the dry weather affected how many plants made it out of the ground and emerged,” Roberts said in an interview with Lansing’s WILX News.
“If the count is too low, we will have to consider replanting, depending on when that occurs.”
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Roberts also spoke with WLNS News — who visited his farm in Charlotte less than months ago for a story about how it was too wet to get planting started. He told reporters it’s “wait and see” now when it comes to rain now, but there’s nothing significant in the forecast.
Source: michiganfarmnews.com
Photo Credit: gettyimages-banksphotos
Categories: Michigan, Crops, Corn, Soybeans, Weather