Table 1.1 Michigan's rank in U.S. agriculture by selected commodities, 1997
Rank Item and unit Production Percent of U.S. production Leading
state
1,000
#1 Beans, dry, black, cwt.
 1,400 66.7 Michigan
Beans, dry, cranberry, cwt.
 520 78.7 Michigan
Beans, dry, navy, cwt.
 2,320 42.3 Michigan
Bedding petunias, flats
 1,429 11.7 Michigan
Blueberries, pounds
 76,000 43.9 Michigan
Cherries, tart, pounds
 225,000 77.9 Michigan
Cucumbers (for pickles), tons
 130 21.0 Michigan
Geraniums, (seed and cuttings) pots)
 22,664 22.5 Michigan
Flowering hanging baskets (excluding petunias), number
 3,143 10.4 Michigan
Lilies, Easter, pots
 1,387 15.2 Michigan
#2 Beans, dry, all, cwt.
 5,033 17.3 North Dakota
Beans, dry, other, cwt.
 93 13.4 California
Bedding plants (excluding petunias), flats
 9,753 9.7 California
Celery, cwt.
 1,029 5.7 California
Gladioli, spikes
 43,917 29.5 Florida
Grapes, Niagara, tons
 13 29.8 Washington
Hanging baskets, petunias, number
 178 9.3 North Carolina
#3 Apples, pounds
 1,050,000 10.3 Washington
Asparagus, cwt.
 263 13.3 Washington
Beans, dry, dark red kidney, cwt.
 150 15.4 Minnesota
Beans, dry, small red, cwt.
 150 16.7 Idaho
Beans, snap (processing), tons
 79 10.8 Wisconsin
Carrots (fresh market), cwt.
 1,325 3.9 California
#4 Beans, dry, light red kidney, cwt.
 230 14.7 Nebraska
Cauliflower, cwt.
 84 1.3 California
Cherries, sweet, tons
 27 12.1 Washington
Cucumbers (fresh market), cwt.
 1,120 10.2 Florida
Grapes, all, tons
 61 0.9 California
Grapes, Concord, tons
 45 10.2 Washington
Ice cream, low fat (hard and soft), gallons
 19,131 5.0 California
Plums, tons
 5 0.2 California
Tomatoes (for processing), tons
 124 1.2 California
Sugarbeets, tons
 3,040 10.2 Minnesota
#5 Carrots (processing), tons
 38 6.9 Washington
Mushrooms, pounds
 13,638 1.8 Pennsylvania
Pears, tons
 4 0.4 Washington
Strawberries, cwt.
 98 0.6 California
#6 Corn (for silage), tons
 4,640 5.0 Wisconsin
Corn, sweet (fresh market), cwt.
 978 4.3 Florida
Peaches, pounds
 61,000 4.1 California
Peppers, bell, cwt.
 374 2.2 California
Poinsettias, pots
 3,807 6.4 California
Sherbet, gallons
 1,800 3.4 California
Spearmint, pounds
 51 2.1 Washington
#7 Maple syrup, gallons
 75 5.8 Vermont
Milk, pounds
 5,410,000 3.5 California
Milk cows, average annual head
 298 3.2 Wisconsin
#9 Cantaloups (fresh market), cwt.
 113 0.5 California
Honey, pounds
 5,950 3.1 California
Potatoes, fall, cwt.
 14,250 3.4 Idaho
Rye, bushels
 416 4.7 Georgia
#10 Beans, pinto, cwt.
 170 1.6 North Dakota
Beans, snap (fresh market), cwt.
 72 1.9 Florida
Onions, all (fresh market), cwt.
 1,952 3.1 California
Potatoes, all, cwt.
 14,250 3.1 Idaho
#22 Cash receipts from marketings, dollars
 3,587,753 3.3 California

Table 1.2 Michigan farm numbers: Acreage, and value of farm real estate
[USDA estimates of farm numbers and land in farms were based on the definition "a farm is any establishment from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were sold or would normally be sold during the year." In 1995, places with 5 or more horses were added to the definition. Prior to 1979, the farm definition was a "place of 10 or more acres that had annual sales of $50 or more or places that had annual sales of $250 or more"]
Year Farms Average size
per farm 		Total land
in farms 		Average value per acre
of land and buildings 		Total value
of land and buildings 		Farms rented
for cash
per acre 		Cropland
rented
for cash
per acre
Number Acres 1,000 acres Dollars Million dollars Dollars Dollars
1900
 203,261 86 17,562 33 583 -- --
1910
 206,960 92 18,941 48 901 -- --
1920
 196,447 97 19,033 75 1,437 -- --
1930
 179,000 101 18,000 68 1,161 -- --
1940
 190,000 97 18,400 51 913 -- --
1950
 161,000 111 17,900 99 1,764 -- --
1960
 118,000 131 15,400 194 2,989 14.10 --
1970
 84,000 151 12,700 326 4,140 15.60 17.50
1980
 65,000 175 11,400 1,111 12,665 46.40 49.40
1990
 54,000 200 10,800 1,005 10,854 43.80 41.40
1991
 54,000 200 10,800 1,086 11,718 52.80 45.50
1992
 54,000 200 10,800 1,106 11,937 44.90 47.40
1993
 52,000 206 10,700 1,131 12,102 46.00 45.60
1994
 52,000 206 10,700 1,214 12,985 45.40 49.00
1995
 54,000 198 10,700 1,329 14,219 -- 49.70
1996
 53,000 200 10,600 1,470 15,582 -- 52.20
1997
 51,000 206 10,500 1,600 16,800 -- 57.30

Table 1.3 Number of farms and land in farms by economic sales class, Michigan
Year Economic sales class Total
$1,000-$9,999 $10,000-$99,999 $100,000 and over
Number of farms
1990
 28,000 18,000 8,000 54,000
1991
 28,000 18,000 8,000 54,000
1992
 28,000 18,000 8,000 54,000
1993
 27,000 17,000 8,000 52,000
1994
 27,000 17,000 8,000 52,000
1995 1
 29,000 17,000 8,000 54,000
1996
 28,000 17,000 8,000 53,000
1997
 27,000 16,000 8,000 51,000
1,000 acres
1990
 1,500 3,300 6,000 10,800
1991
 1,500 3,300 6,000 10,800
1992
 1,500 3,300 6,000 10,800
1993
 1,500 3,100 6,100 10,700
1994
 1,500 3,100 6,100 10,700
1995 1
 1,500 3,100 6,100 10,700
1996
 1,400 3,100 6,100 10,600
1997
 1,400 2,900 6,200 10,500
1 Places with 5 or more horses were added to farm definition.

Table 1.4 Crop acreage, production, and value by crop, Michigan
Year Field crops Fruit Vegetables Total
Acres harvested 1,000 acres
    1993
 6,553 135 123 6,811
    1994
 6,814 131 121 7,066
    1995
 6,650 128 118 6,897
    1996
 6,775 126 114 7,015
     1997
 6,894 127 112 7,133
Production 1,000 tons
    1993
 22,359 820 881 24,060
    1994
 23,163 751 878 24,792
    1995
 23,083 909 825 24,852
    1996
 19,220 584 827 20,647
     1997
 20,057 803 790 21,650
Value of production 1,000 dollars
    1993
 1,714,200 197,254 184,207 2,095,661
    1994
 1,697,825 188,721 174,423 2,060,969
    1995
 2,050,990 220,893 185,982 2,457,865
    1996
 1,740,754 202,599 173,159 2,116,512
    1997
 1,994,209 266,420 172,048 2,432,677
Value per acre Dollars
    1993
 262 1,464 1,503 308
    1994
 249 1,445 1,439 292
    1995
 308 1,726 1,580 356
    1996
 257 1,608 1,520 302
     1997
 289 2,098 1,536 341

Table 1.5 Michigan's top ten agricultural counties, 1997
[Rankings based on most current county estimates]
Rank Corn 1 Soybeans 2 Dry
beans2 		All
cattle 3 		Milk
cows 3 		All
hogs 3 		Farms 4
1 Huron Lenawee Huron Huron Sanilac Cass Allegan
2 Lenawee Saginaw & Sanilac Tuscola Sanilac Allegan & Clinton Allegan Sanilac
3 Tuscola Bay Clinton Branch Ottawa
4 St. Joseph Monroe Gratiot Allegan Huron Ottawa Huron
5 Gratiot Gratiot Sanilac Ottawa Ottawa Huron Berrien
6 Sanilac Clinton Montcalm Isabella Ionia Calhoun,
St. Joseph & Van Buren 		Saginaw
7 Branch Tuscola Saginaw Ionia & Kent Isabella Lenawee
8 Saginaw Shiawassee Arenac Kent Clinton
9 Monroe Hillsdale Midland Barry, Gratiot & Montcalm Missaukee Kalamazoo Kent
10 Cass Branch & Calhoun Isabella Montcalm Hillsdale Van Buren
1 Based on grain production.
2 Based on production.
3 Based on number of head.
4 Based on 1992 Census of Agriculture.

Table 1.6 Field crops: Record highs and lows, Michigan
Field crops Record high Record low Year
estimates started
Quantity Year Quantity Year
Barley:
    Harvested acres, 1,000 303 1932 16 1974 1866
    Yield per acre, bushels
 68 1985 13.5 1933
    Production,1,000 bushels
 8,400 1918 546 1866
Beans, dry:
    Harvested acres, 1,000
 690 1930 170 1988 1909
    Yield per acre, cwt.
 18.5 1991 3.2 1917
    Production,1,000 cwt.
 8,585 1963 1,656 1916
Corn for grain:
    Harvested acres, 1,000
 2,800 1981 577 1929 1924
    Yield per acre, bushels
 117 (1) 24.5 (2)
    Production,1,000 bushels
 293,180 1982 15637 1929
Corn for silage:
    Harvested acres, 1,000
 498 1971 211 1942 1924
    Yield per acre, tons
 15 1995 4.7 1930
    Production,1,000 tons
 5,565 1977 1542 1930
Hay, alfalfa:
    Harvested acres, 1,000
 1,444 1950 74 1919 1919
    Yield per acre, tons
 4.2 1993 1.1 1934
    Production,1,000 tons
 5,040 (3) 118 1919
Hay, all:
    Harvested acres, 1,000
 2,907 1924 780 1866 1866
    Yield per acre, tons
 3.8 1993 0.6 1895
    Production,1,000 tons
 5,743 1986 1,014 1866
Oats:
    Harvested acres, 1,000
 1,658 1918 60 1996 1866
    Yield per acre, bushels
 67 (4) 18.5 1921
    Production,1,000 bushels
 69,388 1946 3,600 1996
Potatoes:
    Harvested acres, 1,000
 374 1895 36.4 1975 1866
    Yield per acre, cwt
 303 1993 26 (5)
    Production,1,000 cwt.
 23256 1904 3,557 1876
Rye:
    Harvested acres, 1,000
 913 1919 7 1866 1866
    Yield per acre, bushels
 34 1995 8.8 1934
    Production,1,000 bushels
 12,143 1919 105 1866
Soybeans:
    Harvested acres, 1,000
 1,890 1997 1 1930 1924
    Yield per acre, bushels
 40 1995 8 1927
    Production,1,000 bushels
 72,765 1997 10 1930
Spearmint:
    Harvested acres, 1,000
 8.7 1954 0.7 1935 1935
    Yield per acre, pounds
 47 1935 20 1965
    Production,1,000 pounds
 280 1948 27 1996
Sugarbeets:
    Harvested acres, 1,000
 188 1995 48 1943 1909
    Yield per acre, tons
 21.3 1970 5.5 1916
    Production,1,000 tons
 3,266 1990 298 1943
Wheat, winter:
    Harvested acres, 1,000
 1,515 1953 400 1987 1909
    Yield per acre, bushels
 62 1997 10.5 1912
    Production,1,000 bushels
 45,600 1984 7,350 1912
1 1994, 1997 2 1930, 1934.    3 1985, 1986.    4 1985, 1989.    5 1887, 1916.

Table 1.7 Vegetables: Record highs and lows, Michigan
Vegetables Record high Record low Year
estimates started
Quantity Year Quantity Year
Asparagus:
    Harvested acres, 1,000
 23 1989 1 1928 1928
    Yield per acre, cwt.
 31 1947 9 1981
    Production,1,000 cwt.
 306 1995 17 1928
Beans, snap (processing):
    Harvested acres, 1,000
 24 1990 0.8 1921 1918
    Yield per acre, tons
 3.5 1994 0.6 1947
    Production,1,000 tons
 77,000 1994 0.6 1921
Carrots:
    Harvested acres, 1,000
 7.7 1994 0.5 1929 1929
    Yield per acre, cwt.
 350 1930 155 1957
    Production,1,000 cwt.
 2,303 1994 132 1936
Cauliflower:
    Harvested acres, 1,000
 1.9 1958 0.6 1996 1939
    Yield per acre, cwt.
 141 1949 41 1973
    Production,1,000 cwt.
 212 1949 38 1973
Celery:
    Harvested acres, 1,000
 7.2 1941 1.8 (1) 1928
    Yield per acre, cwt.
 520 1996 174 1935
    Production,1,000 cwt.
 1,915 1941 576 1966
Corn, sweet (fresh market):
    Harvested acres, 1,000
 15.2 1961 9 1988 1949
    Yield per acre, cwt.
 85 (2) 42 1949
    Production,1,000 cwt.
 1,020 1994 525 1949
Cucumbers for pickles:
    Harvested acres, 1,000
 46.3 1949 9.3 1932 1918
    Yield per acre, tons
 6.7 1987 0.6 1924
    Production,1,000 tons
 160.8 1987 8.9 1932
Onions:
    Harvested acres, 1,000
 12.7 1935 5 1928 1928
    Yield per acre, cwt.
 350 1960 120 1935
    Production,1,000 cwt.
 2,833 1948 852 1928
Tomatoes (fresh market):
    Harvested acres, 1,000
 9.4 1943 2.4 (3) 1928
    Yield per acre, cwt.
 180 1996 60 1959
    Production,1,000 cwt.
 797 1943 204 1988
Tomatoes (processing):
    Harvested acres, 1,000
 9.7 1982 1 1921 1918
    Yield per acre, tons.
 32.5 1996 2.7 1943
    Production,1,000 tons
 205 1982 5 1921
1 1966, 1968.    2 1994, 1996.     3 1988, 1993.

Table 1.8 Fruit: Record highs and lows, Michigan
Fruit Record high Record low Year
estimates
started
Quantity Year Quantity Year
Apples, million pounds
 1,220 1995 53 1945 1889
Cherries, sweet, tons
 37,500 1978 500 1945 1925
Cherries, tart, million pounds
 380 1964 18 1927 1925
Grapes, tons
 77,900 1932 4,200 1889 1889
Peaches, million pounds
 245 1946 7 1918 1889
Pears, tons
 48,600 1964 2,425 1890 1889
Prunes and plums, tons
 25,000 1971 1,700 1945 1919
Strawberries, 1,000 cwt.
 451 1940 60 1996 1928

Table 1.9 Livestock: Record highs and lows, Michigan
Livestock Record high Record low Year
estimates
started
Quantity Year Quantity Year
Cattle and calves, 1,000 head
 2,036 1944 538 1867 1867
Cattle on feed, 1,000 head
 250 1991 57 1931 1930
Chickens, all, 1,000 head 1
 15,512 1944 6,300 1992 1924
Cows, beef, 1,000 head
 239 1977 24 (2) 1920
Cows, milk, 1,000 head
 1,080 1945 225 1867 1867
Eggs, million eggs 3
 1,697 1944 1,104 1929 1924
Hogs and pigs, 1,000 head 1
 1,397 1944 512 1935 1867
Honey, 1,000 pounds
 11,780 1939 4,386 1980 1921
Milk, million pounds
 5,758 1964 3,941 1927 1924
Sheep, 1,000 head.
 3,100 1867 93 1996 1867
Wool, 1,000 pounds
 8,424 1934 599 1994 1934
1 December 1.     2 1925,1933.    3 December 1 previous year to November 30.

Table 1.10 Usual planting and harvesting dates, by crop, Michigan
Crop Usual planting dates Usual harvesting dates
Begin Most active End Begin Most active End
Barley
 Apr. 15 Apr. 25 - May 8 May 21 July 26 Aug. 3 - Aug. 19 Aug. 31
Beans, dry
 May 29 June 6 - June 17 June 28 Sept. 6 Sept. 23 - Oct. 9 Oct. 24
Corn, for grain
 May 1 May 10 - May 21 May 31 Oct. 3 Oct. 23 - Nov. 17 Dec. 3
Corn, for silage
 May 1 May 10 - May 21 May 31 Sept. 4 Sept. 19 - Oct. 6 Oct. 20
Hay, alfalfa
 NA NA NA May 31 June 15 - Sept. 11 Oct. 14
Oats
 Apr. 15 Apr. 25 - May 8 May 21 July 26 Aug. 3 - Aug. 19 Aug. 31
Potatoes
 Apr. 24 May 7 - May 24 June 7 July 23 Aug. 24 - Oct. 7 Oct. 23
Soybeans
 May 8 May 18 - June 3 June 15 Sept. 30 Oct. 12 - Oct. 28 Nov. 7
Sugarbeets
 Apr. 25 Apr. 30 - May 4 May 13 Oct. 6 Oct. 17 - Oct. 29 Nov. 5
Wheat, winter
 Sept. 13 Sept. 25 - Oct. 15 Oct. 29 July 14 July 22 - July 30 Aug. 4
NA=not available

Weather Summary, 1997

In January farmers sought activities such as bookkeeping, machinery repair, meetings, seed orders, taxes, and vacations. Some grain was delivered to elevators. Hay and haylage were in very short supply and expensive to purchase. Livestock fared well despite the cold weather. Some calving and lambing were underway. Winter wheat and alfalfa had snow cover for most of the month.

February's melting snow and rain caused flooding in fields. Some fields became ice covered when freezing returned. Farmers were concerned with potential damage to winter wheat and alfalfa. Some farmers had to postpone trimming orchards and other fieldwork because of wet conditions. Others managed to top-dress wheat and spread manure and clover seed. Some livestock fared well through the winter. The temperature swings caused some health problems in cattle and calves. Lambing was in full swing. The shortage of hay continued. Farmers sought new sources for hay and were trying to secure sources for next year. Other feeds were in adequate supply.

Field activities were limited in March due to wet fields. Sheets of ice and lack of snow cover on wheat and alfalfa fields concerned producers. Some pruning of fruit trees continued as weather permitted. Livestock conditions were normal with no unusual problems. Calving was underway. Livestock producers reported a shortage of feed supplies and high hay prices. Major activities for the month were top dressing, hauling manure, repairing equipment, and planning for spring planting.

A dryer than usual April allowed early planting of sugarbeets and oats over much of the state. Wheat was beginning to green up. Feed continued to be expensive and in short supply although livestock fared well in the milder weather.

Record cold May temperatures moderated the advantage of early planting in April. Michigan's May temperatures set a new record low. The average temperature was 10 degrees below normal for the month and 2 degrees below the previous record. Cold temperatures and wet soil prevented additional planting in northern regions. Throughout the Lower Peninsula, planting continued at the start of May, but cold weather kept spring growth to a minimum. A frost occurred early in the month in some fruit and vegetable regions. Later in the month cold rainy weather hit the Lower Peninsula while parts of the Upper Peninsula received snow. A hard frost late in the month delayed planting and slowed crop development.

The abnormally cool dry weather of May continued though the early part of June. The exception was southwest Michigan, which was inundated with rain causing flooding and property damage. Other parts of the state crops were stressed due to lower than normal soil moisture. By the end of the month farmers were able to catch up on their field work although crop development was significantly behind normal.

Severe weather returned to the southeast area of Lower Michigan in early July in the form of thunderstorms and tornados. The storm was one of the worsts for that area of the state and resulted in millions of dollars in property damage. In contrast to the rest of the growing season, July was warmer than normal. Despite these additional growing degree days crops were about one week behind schedule by the end of the month. A lack of rain over much of the state stressed many crops. Some vegetables were irrigated. Most of the wheat crop was combined the last week of July.

The dryness of July continued until the second week of August as oats and barley were harvested ahead of normal. Then widespread rains arrived, alleviating the moisture stress. Soybeans recovered from moisture stress, and dry beans set pods. These rains were followed by a month of lower than normal temperatures that stunted crop development.

Cooler than normal weather continued until late in September when a three-week warm, dry spell started which allowed most crops to advance. Frost during this period was light and scattered leaving most fields unaffected. Heavy rains on September 9 and 10 damaged navy beans.

In October the harvest of soybeans and other crops was well underway. However, high moisture levels slowed corn harvest. Conditions were ideal for crop dry down as the warm dry weather continued. By the end of October cool, wet weather had arrived including heavy snow in the southern and central Lower Peninsula. A heavy frost stopped the growing season. Harvesting was brought to a standstill. Overall the growing season had been cooler than normal with highly variable and sporadic precipitation during the season.

Field activities were slowed considerably in November as snows and periods of warm weather kept the wet ground from freezing. Corn moisture of 30 percent made the economics of drying questionable. However, most of the corn crop was harvested during the month. Soybean harvest wound down.

December had little precipitation. A lack of snow cover put alfalfa and winter wheat at risk. Farmers were hauling manure, spreading potash, tilling fields, pruning fruit trees, and finishing corn harvest. The warm weather was beneficial to the livestock. Some lambing had started. Hay was scarce, but other feeds were at normal levels.