(WXYZ) — The latest USDA October Crop Production report projects that there will be new record-low yields on Michigan farms.
Based on conditions as of Oct. 1, USDA's National Ag Statistics Services says Michigan farmers will be bracing for a rough harvest due to extremely variable crop conditions, wide-ranging stages of crop maturity and muddy fields.
Michigan corn production, forecast at 270 million bushels, is down 9 percent from last year, the lowest production for the state since 2004 if realized. Michigan Farm Bureau Field Crops Specialist Theresa Sisung says there were 250,000 less acres planted this year due to rain delays in May and June.
The reduction in planted and harvested soybean acres was even more staggering than the reduction of corn acres, Sisung says. Michigan's 2019 soybean production was pegged at 75.7 million bushels, a 31 percent decrease from 2018 and the lowest since 2008. Yields are expected to average 44 bushels per acre.
“Planted soybean acres for Michigan in 2019, was down 580,000 acres, while harvested acres are expected to be down by 590,000 acres — that’s a 25.5 percent reduction from 2018,” she says.
“Unfortunately, Mother Nature can still make matters worse – much worse,” Sisung says. “Virtually every farmer in the state is watching weather forecasts 24/7, hoping for relief from above normal rainfall and a very late killing frost to allow many of these delayed crops to mature as much as possible.”
Michigan crop yields and production are highlighted in the table below:
