Mi-crop-weather State Michigan Crop Weather Released August 23, 2004 Week Ending Date August 22, 2004 Issue MI-CW3404 Agricultural Summary Below Normal Temperatures Six days were suitable for fieldwork during the week ending August 22, according to the USDA-NASS-Michigan Statistical Office. Continued unseasonably cool temperatures were again the norm across most of the State. Dry conditions were also becoming a serious concern in several districts. Average temperatures for the week ranged from 7 degrees below normal in the northeast and west central Lower Peninsula to 5 degrees below normal in eastern Upper Peninsula and northwest Lower Peninsula. Precipitation amounts ranged from 0.03 inches in the east central Lower Peninsula to 0.58 inches in the eastern Upper Peninsula. An operator in the southeast commented, "Soils are starting to dry out, but with the cool temperatures, crops aren't showing signs of stress yet."A farmer in the northwest summed up the sentiments for many growers across the State, "Cold and dry conditions just don't grow crops." Field Crops Report Field Crops Cool temperatures continued last week across the State which slowed crop development down for many field crops. Soil moisture levels decreased due to the lack of precipitation in most areas around the State. Hay cutting has improved in the past week. Second cutting looked good. Third cutting harvest progressed nicely, but rain is needed. Corn growth was slowed down because of the lack of warmer weather. Corn fields continued to be variable. The soybean crop continued to advance slowly with good color. Sugarbeets continued to progress. Reports of cercospora leafspot were limited. Dry beans looked good but were behind schedule. Oat harvest continued. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report Fruit Despite below normal growing degree days, fruit crop progress remained ahead of normal. Insect pressure was generally less than average due to below normal maximum daily temperatures. High populations of European red mites, however, were noted in some orchards. Apple growers harvested Paula Red and Ginger Golds. McIntosh harvest will begin in about one week. Peach harvesting continued. Jersey and Rubel blueberry harvests neared completion and Elliott harvesting was underway. The harvest of Niagara grapes will begin about September 7; Concord harvest will start about ten days later. The tart cherry harvest ended. The fruit quality was excellent in the northwest initially, but there was a significant volume of soft and wind-damaged fruit later in the harvest. Growers were encouraged to prune mature cherry trees to minimize constantly shaded lower canopies. Fall raspberry maturity was ahead of schedule, so harvest will begin early. Vegetables Growers continue to harvest a wide variety of crops across the State. However, the continued cool temperatures slowed the maturity and advancement of vegetables. Potato digging was underway in several districts. Harvest volume was expected to pick up in the next week. Sweet corn harvest continued Statewide. Processing tomato harvest picked up in the southeast although progress was hampered by the cool weather and scattered rain showers late in the week. Fresh market picking continued. Snap bean harvest was underway in the west central. Carrot harvest in full swing in the west central and progressing in the southeast. Celery harvest moved along on schedule, with more than 40 percent of the crop picked. Pepper harvest started in the west central and continued in the southern districts. Spinach planting for fall harvest wrapped up in the west central. Cucumber and zucchini harvest moved along. Growers continued to report pollination problems in vine crops. Watermelon harvest started in the southwest. Soil Moisture and Crop Condition Tables Soil moisture for week ending 08/22/04 --------------------------------------------- : Very : : : Stratum : short : Short :Adequate:Surplus --------------------------------------------- : Percent : Topsoil : 16 35 49 0 Subsoil : 9 33 57 1 --------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending 08/22/04 ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : All Hay : 4 12 36 38 10 Barley : 1 5 34 47 13 Corn : 6 14 32 36 12 Dry beans : 7 12 36 39 6 Oats : 4 9 33 45 9 Pasture : 6 17 38 32 7 Soybeans : 5 8 34 42 11 ----------------------------------------------------------- Crop progress for week ending 08/22/04 ------------------------------------------------------------ : This : Last : Last :5-year Crop : week : week : year :average ------------------------------------------------------------ : Percent : All hay, second cutting : 82 73 93 89 All hay, third cutting : 29 17 29 30 Blueberries, harvested : 88 85 82 NA Corn, silked : 89 80 99 99 Corn, dough : 37 20 35 37 Corn, dent : 2 NA 2 9 Dry beans, blooming : 99 94 99 99 Dry beans, setting pods : 88 57 84 89 Dry beans, turning leaves : 6 1 12 NA Oats, harvested : 70 41 77 86 Peaches, harvested : 51 42 NA NA Soybeans, blooming : 94 87 98 98 Soybeans, setting pods : 82 60 88 88 Soybeans, turning leaves : 1 1 1 4 ------------------------------------------------------------ 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 08/22/04 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 : 75 39 1,300 1,602 0.43 1.61 2.75 16.82 Marquette : 78 37 1,220 1,533 0.28 1.17 1.83 15.44 Stephenson : 80 34 1,493 1,792 0.47 0.63 0.91 16.11 Western UP : 80 34 -6 1,313 1,602 1,511 0.36 1.30 2.33 14.79 15.07 3.69 : Cornell : 80 38 1,346 1,703 0.87 1.99 4.83 16.22 Sault St Marie : 74 42 1,093 1,512 0.83 2.05 2.29 14.47 Eastern UP : 80 36 -5 1,150 1,489 1,316 0.58 1.43 2.43 13.93 14.22 3.53 : Beulah : 77 42 1,560 1,739 0.59 1.29 1.63 17.34 Lake City : 79 34 1,532 1,677 0.01 0.35 0.37 14.90 Old Mission : 79 41 1,450 1,711 0.05 1.43 1.75 15.53 Pellston : 78 31 1,417 1,655 0.73 1.95 2.27 12.66 Northwest : 79 31 -5 1,446 1,663 1,704 0.32 1.27 1.61 14.82 13.35 3.11 : Alpena : 79 36 1,472 1,645 0.21 1.01 1.80 14.19 Houghton Lake : 78 31 1,606 1,781 0.01 0.53 0.76 14.42 Rogers City : 79 35 1,450 1,698 0.30 0.93 1.22 14.18 Northeast : 80 31 -7 1,526 1,729 1,653 0.27 0.83 1.15 14.39 13.45 3.12 : Fremont : 77 40 1,791 1,994 0.09 0.42 0.60 15.03 Hart : 77 38 1,656 1,838 0.55 1.01 1.10 17.57 Muskegon : 77 42 1,803 2,012 0.28 0.44 1.80 19.17 West Central : 78 37 -7 1,716 1,904 1,860 0.35 0.74 1.08 18.57 13.76 3.60 : Alma : 78 40 1,905 1,985 0.14 0.43 0.91 17.73 Big Rapids : 79 38 1,777 1,835 0.38 0.86 0.92 16.71 Central : 79 38 -6 1,856 1,904 1,932 0.18 0.50 0.91 17.41 14.65 3.64 : Bad Axe : 78 44 1,728 1,740 0.00 0.42 1.37 16.07 Pigeon : 79 42 1,707 1,730 0.00 0.49 1.14 16.44 Saginaw : 79 42 1,890 1,907 0.03 0.32 0.77 14.70 Standish : 80 37 1,690 1,726 0.05 0.38 1.03 15.13 East Central : 80 37 -6 1,723 1,791 1,923 0.03 0.49 1.57 16.44 13.25 2.93 : Fennville : 78 44 1,836 1,936 0.16 0.35 1.18 13.87 Grand Rapids : 79 46 2,121 2,030 0.52 1.09 2.13 19.90 Holland : 79 44 1,925 1,975 0.23 0.66 1.63 13.64 South Bend, IN : 80 50 2,250 2,165 0.75 1.97 3.01 19.50 Watervliet : 79 46 2,014 1,979 0.40 0.96 2.87 19.93 Southwest : 81 40 -6 2,012 2,026 2,088 0.35 0.84 1.96 18.20 15.34 3.18 : Belding : 77 37 1,909 1,928 0.37 0.71 1.74 20.03 Coldwater : 77 48 1,951 1,953 0.04 0.33 1.71 19.59 Lansing : 78 42 1,996 1,984 0.00 0.18 1.65 19.03 South Central : 80 37 -6 1,996 2,014 2,063 0.22 0.62 2.02 19.65 15.36 3.36 : Detroit : 80 52 2,234 2,219 0.19 0.20 3.46 16.95 Flint : 78 43 2,044 2,083 0.00 0.65 3.00 16.76 Romeo : 80 48 2,017 1,952 0.07 0.27 2.91 20.92 Tipton : 78 47 1,979 1,991 0.34 0.56 2.72 17.08 Toledo, OH : 80 50 2,292 2,202 1.00 1.65 3.23 14.19 Southeast : 84 43 -6 2,047 2,091 2,052 0.26 0.59 3.13 18.30 14.78 3.12 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.