Harvest Progress Grinds to a Halt
Published: Friday, November 8, 2019
The following is from the Michigan Field Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending Nov. 3.
Cold temperatures and high amounts of precipitation continued to slow harvest progress in most parts of the state. There were 1.9 days suitable for fieldwork during the week.
Mixtures of heavy rain and snowfall were common occurrences in both the Upper and Lower Peninsula. Farmers have begun to express concerns that they won't be able to harvest their corn this season due to the prolonged wet conditions.
The estimated moisture content of the grain that was able to be harvested was 26 percent, showing no significant dry-down over the week.
The soybean harvest continued to lag behind the five-year average. The estimated moisture content of the grain harvested was 17 percent.
In the Thumb, the sugarbeet harvest continued; reports of delays due to the wet conditions were common.
Pasture and range conditions slightly improved despite reports of flooding and standing water.
Other activities included the planting of winter wheat where the weather permitted.
Topsoil moisture was rated very short, 0 percent; short, 1 percent; adequate, 26 percent; surplus, 73 percent.
Subsoil moisture was rated very short, 0 percent; short, 1 percent; adequate, 36 percent; surplus, 63 percent.
The crop progress schedule (last week, previous week, 2018 and 5-year average) showed: corn, mature 83, 75, 100, 99; corn, harvested for grain 25, 21, 55, 51; corn, harvested for silage 91, 86, NA, NA; soybeans, harvested 57, 51, 73, 78; winter wheat, planted 86, 78, 88, 92; winter wheat, emerged 66, 54, 59, 74; dry beans, harvested 87, 79, 95, 95; sugarbeets, harvested 55, 41, 72, 68.
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