mi-crop-weather State Michigan Crop Weather Released September 2, 2008 Week Ending Date August 31, 2008 Issue MI-CW3508 Agricultural Summary Continued Dry Seven days were suitable for fieldwork during the week ending August 31, according to the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office. Through Monday, September 1, precipitation varied from 0.02 inches in the northwestern Lower Peninsula to 0.26 inches in the central Lower Peninsula. Average temperatures ranged from 3 degrees below normal in the east central Lower Peninsula to 1 degree above normal in the western and eastern Upper Peninsula and the northwestern Lower Peninsula. Abnormally dry conditions remained in most areas as very little rain fell in the past seven days. A farmer in the west central noted, "In the last week we have had only a trace of rain and for the month of August we have had 0.95 inches of rain. Corn, soybeans, and hay are being hurt due to the dry weather." Crops were suffering from lack of moisture, but some normal ripening was taking place. "In many cases, when viewing the fields, it is difficult to determine if much of the change in the fields is due to 'true maturing' or 'premature maturing' being caused by the extremely extended dry period throughout the area," a grower in the south central reported. Field Crops Report Field Crops The majority of the corn crop was in the dough stage and a good deal was in the dent stage. The crop continued to dry, causing some growers to chop their corn for silage. Soybeans have set pods and leaves were turning. Alfalfa harvest continued with a second cutting nearing completion and some growers getting a third cutting. There were reports of a short third cutting, as regrowth has been slow. Dry bean leaves were turning and some were shedding leaves. Harvest of early varieties was just beginning in some fields. Winter wheat growers continued to prepare their fields for planting. Sugarbeet growers were anticipating a very good crop and were looking forward to harvest. Harvest of oats was essentially finished. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report Fruit The harvest of early season apples wound down, and picking of Galas will begin this week. Elliot and other late season blueberry varieties harvests continued. Anthracnose rot has been a problem. Concord grape vineyards that were damaged by frost still had a lot of green berries, but veraison was otherwise finished in the southwest. Spraying occurred for protection from downy mildew. Peach harvest continued; fruit size of late season varieties was reduced by the dryness. Bartlett pear harvest began, and plum picking continued. Fall raspberry harvest was underway. Vegetables High temperatures and lack of rainfall have kept vegetable producers worried about crop conditions and decreased production, especially in the southern and western parts of the State. Celery harvest continued on schedule in the southwest part of the State. Crop experts reported that celery quality was good but most growers were irrigating due to the very dry soil conditions. Tomato harvest continued, with some producers reporting a disappointing crop. Harvest continued this week for potatoes, onions, leeks, carrots, peppers, sweet corn and snap beans. Pumpkins and winter squash continued to develop in the fields, while harvest for fall cabbage and other cole crops began in some areas. Soil Moisture and Crop Condition Tables Soil moisture for week ending 08/31/08 --------------------------------------------- : Very : : : Stratum : short : Short :Adequate:Surplus --------------------------------------------- : Percent : Topsoil : 47 35 18 0 Subsoil : 38 33 29 0 --------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending 08/31/08 ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : All Hay : 8 22 39 26 5 Corn : 14 13 31 27 15 Dry beans : 2 1 17 63 17 Pasture : 27 40 18 12 3 Soybeans : 10 19 31 33 7 ----------------------------------------------------------- Crop progress for week ending 08/31/08 ---------------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5-year Crop : week : week : year :average ---------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : All hay, second cutting : 96 92 100 95 All hay, third cutting : 56 41 60 55 All hay, fourth cutting : 4 NA 5 4 Apples, harvested : 6 5 7 6 Blueberries, harvested : 92 80 97 92 Corn, dough : 85 75 86 79 Corn, dent : 47 18 48 39 Corn, mature : 4 NA 6 4 Dry beans, turning leaves : 31 25 60 61 Dry beans, dropping leaves : 18 NA NA NA Oats, harvested : 97 94 100 96 Peaches, harvested : 51 42 70 75 Potatoes, harvested : 21 19 10 NA Soybeans, turning leaves : 21 3 12 14 Soybeans, dropping leaves : 2 NA 1 1 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Contact Information U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service Michigan Field 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 09/01/08 1/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : :Cumulative growing: : Temperature : degree days 2/ : Precipitation :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : : : : : : : : Normal Station : : :Departure: : : :This:Last :Last : Since :------------- :Maximum :Minimum : from :2008 :2007 :Normal:week: two :four :April 1: Since : For : : : normal : : : : :weeks:weeks: :April 1:month ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ironwood : 88 43 1,616 1,993 0.28 0.47 0.78 12.98 Marquette : 90 45 1,516 1,908 0.01 0.16 0.28 14.08 Stephenson : 89 41 1,888 2,105 0.01 0.31 0.83 15.02 Western UP : 91 31 1 1,642 1,986 1,656 0.21 0.42 0.68 12.93 16.48 3.58 : Cornell : 86 41 1,784 2,046 0.02 0.38 0.52 13.04 Sault St Marie : 86 46 1,561 1,860 0.31 0.94 1.10 13.22 Eastern UP : 89 38 1 1,562 1,875 1,455 0.08 0.52 0.65 13.62 15.46 3.55 : Beulah : 88 50 2,040 2,198 0.00 0.34 0.53 17.39 Lake City : 85 40 1,929 2,100 0.03 1.63 2.77 20.42 Old Mission : 91 48 1,954 2,102 0.02 0.50 0.61 10.77 Pellston : 88 38 1,844 2,028 0.02 1.15 1.68 14.75 Northwest : 91 38 1 1,890 2,065 1,871 0.02 0.72 1.25 14.80 14.53 3.66 : Alpena : 87 41 1,910 2,075 0.00 0.25 1.20 14.27 Houghton Lake : 84 37 1,964 2,094 0.06 2.56 3.18 17.91 Rogers City : 86 40 1,861 2,116 0.03 1.12 2.09 17.06 Northeast : 87 37 -2 1,913 2,077 1,814 0.06 1.30 2.36 16.48 14.63 3.47 : Fremont : 89 47 2,134 2,311 0.12 0.47 0.81 13.11 Hart : 87 47 2,028 2,197 0.73 0.82 1.24 15.89 Muskegon : 87 48 2,139 2,368 0.01 0.24 0.72 12.83 West Central : 89 NA -1 2,068 2,252 2,039 0.22 0.43 0.81 15.85 14.99 3.19 : Alma : 87 48 2,230 2,420 0.23 1.50 2.00 11.29 Big Rapids : 85 44 2,133 2,169 0.22 1.04 1.44 13.22 Central : 87 44 -2 2,161 2,289 2,110 0.26 1.20 1.82 12.08 15.94 3.09 : Bad Axe : 85 49 2,150 2,264 0.00 1.32 2.90 18.71 Pigeon : 86 44 2,058 2,168 0.15 0.79 2.22 12.04 Saginaw : 86 46 2,271 2,419 0.01 0.77 2.03 14.37 Standish : 85 42 2,024 2,174 0.47 1.18 2.90 15.45 East Central : 86 42 -3 2,105 2,260 2,106 0.12 1.00 2.67 14.76 14.18 2.70 : Fennville : 89 43 2,155 2,344 0.18 0.20 0.77 17.64 Grand Rapids : 89 49 2,459 2,647 0.04 0.47 0.81 16.50 Holland : 91 50 2,469 2,567 0.00 0.04 0.24 18.07 South Bend, IN : 89 53 2,524 2,745 0.67 1.27 1.33 12.88 Watervliet : 89 48 2,318 2,527 0.12 0.53 0.95 15.28 Southwest : 92 41 -2 2,343 2,517 2,287 0.15 0.49 0.83 16.68 16.36 3.26 : Belding : 87 48 2,183 2,322 0.00 0.80 1.46 11.32 Coldwater : 90 48 2,313 2,392 0.22 0.69 0.84 13.01 Lansing : 89 46 2,371 2,473 0.03 0.39 1.06 12.51 South Central : 91 45 -2 2,289 2,428 2,254 0.15 0.71 1.15 13.42 16.36 2.79 : Detroit : 87 53 2,614 2,684 0.12 0.13 0.25 10.65 Flint : 88 44 2,408 2,436 0.02 0.78 1.66 12.60 Romeo : 88 48 2,281 2,378 0.12 0.52 1.25 12.72 Tipton : 88 52 2,360 2,422 0.08 0.20 0.26 16.23 Toledo, OH : 89 53 2,572 2,628 0.01 0.22 1.29 15.96 Southeast : 93 43 -2 2,369 2,478 2,249 0.10 0.42 1.00 14.49 15.73 2.43 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Issued by the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office 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.