Mi-crop-weather State Michigan Crop Weather Released October 18, 2004 Week Ending Date October 17, 2004 Issue MI-CW4204 Agricultural Summary Cool Temperatures Arrive Five days were suitable for fieldwork during the week ending October 17, according to the USDA-NASS-Michigan Statistical Office. Early in the week, conditions were dry and favorable to a wide variety of farm activities. However, scattered rain fell late in the week, slowing fieldwork. Most areas needed the precipitation, so the rain induced break was welcome. Statewide, temperatures were well below normal for the week. Averages ranged from 6 degrees below normal in the western Upper Peninsula and the southwest and south central Lower Peninsula to 3 degrees below normal in the eastern Upper Peninsula and west central Lower Peninsula. Precipitation amounts ranged from 0.41 inches in the central Lower Peninsula to 1.27 inches in the eastern Upper Peninsula. A farmer in the central district summed up the week, "Rain and cool weather bring a mix of feelings. We needed the rain for the soil, but it slowed harvest progress." A grower in the southeast voiced the same sentiment, "Wet weather for the last several days has slowed down harvest. However, the moisture is beneficial for planting and tillage." Field Crops Report Field Crops Continued dry weather early in the week allowed farmers statewide to make good harvest progress. Rains later in the week slowed harvesting, but most areas were grateful for the timely arrival of much needed showers which will replenish soil moisture levels as well as help the emerging wheat crop and aid fall tillage. Soybean combining moved along. Some growers neared completion on early planted beans. Corn harvest was ongoing. Farmers moved closer to the end of chopping silage, while harvest of corn for grain progressed. The arrival of cooler temperatures was conducive to sugarbeet storage, allowing producers to increase their harvesting pace. The rain also aided in harvest and allowed the crop to size a bit more. Dry bean harvest was almost wrapped up. Wheat planting continued. Growers were still harvesting the last of their hay crops. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report Fruit Apple harvest was almost complete in the southwest, with a few late season varieties such as Fuji being harvested. In the Ridge area, harvest continued ahead of schedule, where Red Delicious, Ida Red, and Romes were being picked. In the southeast, growers harvesting for local markets were finishing up Golden and Red Delicious. Some growers were picking Fuji for shipping. Grape harvest was completed throughout the State. Vegetables Vegetable growers worked to harvest late season crops. Pumpkin and squash harvest moved along. Farmers continued to deal with a truck shortage to transport pumpkins to southern markets. Potato harvest continued, with operators in most areas making good progress over the week. Growers continued to gain on the carrot harvest. Cabbage picking was ongoing in the southwest. In the southeast, a few growers continued to harvest plastic tunnel covered tomatoes and cucurbit varieties. Soil Moisture and Crop Condition Tables Soil moisture for week ending 10/17/04 --------------------------------------------- : Very : : : Stratum : short : Short :Adequate:Surplus --------------------------------------------- : Percent : Topsoil : 12 46 41 1 Subsoil : 20 45 35 0 --------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending 10/17/04 ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Corn : 4 12 32 37 15 Pasture : 9 27 38 18 8 Soybeans : 3 9 30 44 14 ----------------------------------------------------------- Crop progress for week ending 10/17/04 ------------------------------------------------------------ : This : Last : Last :5-year Crop : week : week : year :average ------------------------------------------------------------ : Percent : All hay, fourth cutting : 73 50 43 62 Apples, harvested : 82 67 NA NA Corn, mature : 90 66 92 94 Corn, harvested : 19 13 15 26 Corn silage, harvested : 95 88 96 96 Dry beans, harvested : 96 93 97 86 Potatoes, harvested : 80 74 NA NA Soybeans, dropping leaves : 94 91 99 98 Soybeans, harvested : 52 40 62 52 Sugarbeets, harvested : 9 5 20 38 Winter wheat, planted : 84 63 71 75 Winter wheat, emerged : 40 12 30 38 ------------------------------------------------------------ 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 10/17/04 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 : 66 30 1,921 2,146 0.52 0.99 2.07 21.11 Marquette : 67 31 1,834 2,063 0.98 1.22 2.14 21.02 Stephenson : 67 28 2,198 2,367 0.37 0.94 2.32 20.04 Western UP : 67 28 -6 1,941 2,136 1,996 0.51 0.99 2.07 19.07 21.33 2.57 : Cornell : 64 32 1,934 2,255 1.66 2.50 3.40 22.05 Sault St Marie : 64 33 1,670 1,994 1.67 2.77 3.43 20.78 Eastern UP : 69 27 -3 1,706 1,993 1,756 1.27 2.15 3.06 19.44 20.37 2.57 : Beulah : 64 34 2,262 2,344 1.16 1.59 2.24 22.70 Lake City : 65 30 2,192 2,203 0.85 1.53 1.98 19.38 Old Mission : 63 30 2,190 2,324 1.66 2.16 2.78 21.34 Pellston : 65 24 2,078 2,212 1.26 2.17 3.24 18.49 Northwest : 65 24 -4 2,126 2,231 2,288 1.26 1.88 2.54 19.81 19.67 2.75 : Alpena : 63 30 2,169 2,195 1.01 1.80 2.07 17.14 Houghton Lake : 62 27 2,299 2,331 0.60 2.33 2.59 18.80 Rogers City : 64 28 2,176 2,291 0.99 1.88 2.21 19.79 Northeast : 67 23 -5 2,194 2,299 2,210 0.86 1.86 2.16 18.34 19.40 2.40 : Fremont : 67 33 2,542 2,642 0.39 1.39 1.76 19.24 Hart : 66 30 2,389 2,482 0.57 1.24 2.06 21.40 Muskegon : 64 36 2,565 2,746 0.34 1.16 1.56 22.14 West Central : 67 30 -3 2,456 2,564 2,504 0.58 1.29 1.85 22.30 19.81 2.94 : Alma : 63 33 2,663 2,660 0.43 1.19 1.53 22.66 Big Rapids : 62 34 2,484 2,436 0.46 1.98 2.46 22.65 Central : 63 33 -4 2,600 2,544 2,587 0.41 1.31 1.68 21.81 20.45 2.59 : Bad Axe : 66 33 2,479 2,363 0.95 1.34 1.58 19.63 Pigeon : 62 31 2,454 2,356 0.78 0.90 1.18 20.25 Saginaw : 61 34 2,689 2,602 0.63 0.95 1.18 18.36 Standish : 63 30 2,423 2,326 0.44 0.92 1.16 19.08 East Central : 66 30 -4 2,472 2,428 2,603 0.74 1.11 1.37 19.69 18.22 2.41 : Fennville : 63 31 2,616 2,624 0.58 0.69 0.77 14.94 Grand Rapids : 64 35 2,907 2,716 0.98 1.88 2.36 24.17 Holland : 62 34 2,708 2,705 0.68 1.29 1.91 17.52 South Bend, IN : 62 35 3,060 2,905 0.51 0.89 1.28 24.50 Watervliet : 64 34 2,801 2,674 1.14 1.41 2.11 25.63 Southwest : 68 29 -6 2,804 2,731 2,844 0.84 1.37 1.91 23.17 21.24 2.99 : Belding : 65 31 2,652 2,585 0.36 1.72 2.16 24.33 Coldwater : 63 32 2,732 2,525 0.58 1.23 2.38 24.17 Lansing : 63 33 2,780 2,675 0.72 1.02 1.20 23.09 South Central : 65 31 -6 2,774 2,687 2,792 0.77 1.22 1.63 23.54 20.55 2.41 : Detroit : 63 40 3,105 2,968 0.19 0.29 0.51 20.38 Flint : 63 30 2,819 2,797 0.39 0.78 1.00 19.52 Romeo : 68 35 2,802 2,620 1.29 1.51 2.03 25.07 Tipton : 66 34 2,792 2,658 0.95 1.06 1.87 19.93 Toledo, OH : 64 36 3,128 2,988 1.21 1.23 1.69 19.06 Southeast : 68 29 -5 2,848 2,801 2,790 0.92 1.12 1.58 21.67 19.44 2.33 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.