Mi-crop-weather State Michigan Crop Weather Released July 26, 2004 Week Ending Date July 25, 2004 Issue MI-CW3004 Agricultural Summary Sunshine Statewide Six days were suitable for fieldwork during the week ending July 25, according to the USDA-NASS-Michigan Statistical Office. Across much of the State, warm, humid conditions during most of the week were countered by well below normal temperatures over the weekend. The warm weather produced some scattered storms, but total rainfall amounts were highly variable. Several areas were still short on moisture. In the northeast Lower Peninsula, some localized, heavy hail caused extensive but scattered damage. Precipitation amounts ranged from 0.01 inches in the western Upper Peninsula to 1.06 inches in the south central Lower Peninsula. Even with the hot weather early in the week, cool temperature at the end of the week pulled averages to below normal. Temperatures ranged from 2 degrees below normal in the central and southeast Lower Peninsula to 3 degrees below normal across the rest of the State. A reporter in the south central commented, "Hot, hazy, humid weather started out the week, but an inch of rain on Thursday will really help out the corn and beans." Farmers in the northern half of the State were grateful for the warmer weather, saying, "Days were bright and sunny for most of the week. It's been dry for a full week--the first time since April." Field Crops Report Field Crops Warmer weather prevailed across the State allowing crops to progress nicely over the week. Southern areas received scattered showers, while other districts remained dry. Good drying conditions moved along the second cutting of hay. Growers in the west central reported just starting a third cutting. Corn looked good but had started to show signs of stress due to the lack of rain in some areas. Tasseling continued throughout the State. Soybean growth was highly variable. Progress ranged from pre-bloom to setting pods. Wheat harvest continued but moisture levels remained high despite drier weather conditions. Yields were variable and diseases were common. In the north, wheat reached maturity. Rapid growth was reported in sugarbeets but Cercospora leafspot was confirmed in many areas. Dry beans responded well to the warm weather. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report Fruit Tart cherry harvest began in the northwest. Harvest of sweet cherries was about half over in the northwest. Tart and sweet cherry harvest overlapped more than normal in the northwest this year because of a light crop of tart cherries and a heavy crop of sweet cherries. Harvest of early peach varieties began in the southwest last week. Split pits were problematic. Peach harvest was estimated to be 7 days away in the southeast. In the west central, trapped lesser peach borer numbers had tripled from the previous week. Harvest of stone fruit was ongoing. Harvest began on summer apples, such as Lodi, last week in the southwest. Harvest of early variety blueberries ended in the southwest, while the first bluecrop picking got underway. In the ridge area, spotty hail damaged some fruit crops. The fire blight trauma situation had passed there. A lack of apple maggot emergence was noted in the southeast, where fruit crops were generally 7 to 10 days ahead of normal development. Vegetables With continued warmer temperatures and sunshine, vegetables across the State made good progress. Growers continued to harvest a wide variety of vegetable crops. In the southeast, most fresh market crops were in season, and roadside stands were well stocked. Sweet corn harvest was approaching full swing in much of the south. Corn borer damage was very limited. In the southwest, early tomatoes were being harvested. The crop was beginning to ripen in the southeast. Some diseases were reported. Growers continued to scout for Alternaria and Cercospora in carrots. Potatoes were behind normal in the northeast, but were making decent progress in other areas. Some leafhoppers were spotted. Pumpkins and squash were runnering and flowering. Harvest of fresh market snap beans continued in the south. In the west central, plants were in bloom. In the southwest, tunneled peppers were being harvested and eggplants were setting and sizing fruit. Growers continued to harvest zucchini and cucumbers. Fern regrowth in asparagus acreage was showing the effects of phytophtora earlier in the season. Asparagus beetle larvae was active Soil Moisture and Crop Condition Tables Soil moisture for week ending 07/25/04 --------------------------------------------- : Very : : : Stratum : short : Short :Adequate:Surplus --------------------------------------------- : Percent : Topsoil : 2 19 68 11 Subsoil : 1 15 75 9 --------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending 07/25/04 ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : All Hay : 1 6 31 50 12 Barley : 6 7 32 51 4 Corn : 5 12 31 36 16 Dry beans : 10 14 46 23 7 Oats : 2 5 43 40 10 Pasture : 1 5 31 53 10 Soybeans : 3 9 39 37 12 Winter Wheat : 1 9 33 48 9 ----------------------------------------------------------- Crop progress for week ending 07/25/04 ------------------------------------------------------------ : This : Last : Last :5-year Crop : week : week : year :average ------------------------------------------------------------ : Inches : Corn, height : 53 44 56 58 : : Percent : All hay, first cutting : 98 91 100 99 All hay, second cutting : 42 27 61 55 Blueberries, harvested : 33 15 22 NA Corn, silked : 47 19 20 41 Dry beans, blooming : 26 8 26 30 Dry beans, setting pods : 5 0 2 7 Oats, headed : 96 93 97 99 Oats, turning yellow : 47 29 47 77 Oats, harvested : 10 2 1 11 Peaches, harvested : 7 5 NA NA Soybeans, blooming : 45 30 57 59 Soybeans, setting pods : 12 5 8 18 Tart cherries, harvested : 57 52 64 NA Winter wheat, harvested : 58 25 39 78 ------------------------------------------------------------ Contact Information U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service Michigan Statistical Office P.O. Box 26248 Lansing, MI 48909-6248 517-324-5300; or 800-453-7501 Fax 517-324-5299 email: nass-mi@nass.usda.gov Web Page: http:/www.nass.usda.gov/mi Weather Information Table Michigan Weather Summary for Week Ending 07/25/04 1/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : :Cumulative growing: : Temperature : degree days 2/ : Precipitation :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : : : : : : : : Normal Station : : :Departure: : : :This:Last :Last : Since :------------- :Maximum :Minimum : from :2004 :2003 :Normal:week: two :four :April 1: Since : For : : : normal : : : : :weeks:weeks: :April 1:month ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ironwood : 88 37 957 1,057 0.01 0.37 2.41 14.41 Marquette : 84 40 857 1,026 0.00 0.46 2.92 13.61 Stephenson : 85 44 1,068 1,246 0.04 0.95 3.80 15.25 Western UP : 88 37 -3 934 1,068 1,082 0.01 0.40 2.45 12.58 12.05 3.42 : Cornell : 84 42 906 1,145 0.02 0.85 1.86 11.70 Sault St Marie : 81 45 727 1,002 0.03 1.72 3.08 12.18 Eastern UP : 84 37 -3 783 986 908 0.09 0.91 2.81 11.57 11.18 3.19 : Beulah : 85 44 1,131 1,179 0.10 0.21 2.01 15.71 Lake City : 87 40 1,146 1,141 0.17 0.92 1.84 14.53 Old Mission : 88 43 1,056 1,138 0.72 0.96 1.77 13.06 Pellston : 87 36 1,036 1,119 0.08 0.84 1.63 10.39 Northwest : 88 36 -3 1,058 1,115 1,233 0.46 0.99 2.05 12.89 10.79 2.99 : Alpena : 89 40 1,065 1,089 0.95 2.85 3.89 12.39 Houghton Lake : 86 37 1,207 1,233 0.21 0.87 1.49 13.66 Rogers City : 88 40 1,085 1,119 0.70 2.05 3.06 12.46 Northeast : 89 37 -3 1,142 1,170 1,189 0.66 1.90 2.80 13.21 10.71 3.18 : Fremont : 85 47 1,373 1,371 0.09 0.88 2.19 13.90 Hart : 86 44 1,251 1,255 0.11 0.63 2.20 16.11 Muskegon : 87 51 1,375 1,367 0.20 0.52 1.69 17.37 West Central : 87 44 -3 1,301 1,302 1,358 0.08 0.59 2.01 17.32 10.73 2.54 : Alma : 88 48 1,471 1,375 0.33 1.15 1.75 15.50 Big Rapids : 88 45 1,372 1,285 0.05 1.18 2.01 15.79 Central : 88 45 -2 1,434 1,324 1,422 0.37 1.31 1.97 16.17 11.63 2.97 : Bad Axe : 88 46 1,301 1,148 0.00 0.73 2.20 14.66 Pigeon : 89 44 1,282 1,188 0.01 0.35 1.13 15.30 Saginaw : 88 51 1,452 1,324 0.08 0.40 1.00 13.93 Standish : 88 46 1,282 1,203 0.46 0.74 1.30 14.42 East Central : 89 44 -3 1,300 1,228 1,407 0.17 0.60 1.69 14.92 10.65 2.92 : Fennville : 89 51 1,446 1,338 0.43 0.55 1.64 12.97 Grand Rapids : 90 51 1,666 1,411 0.87 0.94 2.44 17.77 Holland : 89 50 1,486 1,357 0.96 1.19 2.66 12.01 South Bend, IN : 88 55 1,777 1,529 1.44 2.39 4.02 16.49 Watervliet : 88 51 1,574 1,389 0.93 1.26 4.22 17.06 Southwest : 90 48 -3 1,573 1,417 1,532 0.89 1.31 3.06 16.31 12.51 3.09 : Belding : 86 45 1,497 1,345 0.69 3.45 5.70 18.29 Coldwater : 85 50 1,532 1,379 0.85 3.80 8.32 17.22 Lansing : 88 47 1,566 1,404 0.95 2.10 3.41 17.38 South Central : 90 45 -3 1,563 1,421 1,520 1.06 2.93 5.01 17.78 12.26 3.22 : Detroit : 91 53 1,723 1,556 0.30 1.12 1.90 13.49 Flint : 88 46 1,615 1,464 0.35 0.85 2.60 13.76 Romeo : 91 47 1,560 1,345 0.45 0.96 5.57 18.01 Tipton : 90 50 1,558 1,399 0.48 0.65 2.67 14.35 Toledo, OH : 90 53 1,808 1,569 0.54 0.89 1.28 10.93 Southeast : 93 44 -2 1,601 1,471 1,495 0.49 1.43 3.25 15.36 11.98 3.11 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Issued by the Federal/State Michigan Agricultural Statistics Service in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Commerce, Michigan State University's Cooperative Extension Service, Agricultural Meteorologist, Department of Geography, and Crop Advisory Team ALERTS. 2/ Growing degree days (GDD) is the sum of daily mean temperatures minus 50 per day, 86 maximum And 50 minimum. The GDD is accumulative from April 1.