LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Since an earlier report from July, crop conditions continue to change for the better amidst drought conditions, with the help of recent rains.
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Corn crops improved to 84% of the crop now gaining the rank of “fair” or “good” condition — up 14% from July 3, according to the most recent Crop Progress report from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Nationally, 75% of corn is listed in the same category.
Additionally, Soybeans had similar improvements in the week ending July 23, with 80% now rated as “fair” or “good” compared to just 66% in the same category to start the month. Michigan’s experience appears roughly consistent with national trends, which show 79% of soybeans listed as “fair” or “good.”
Key findings from a survey of more than 9,000 segments of land and more than 62,000 farmers in June found that Michigan corn acreage increased by 50,000 acres reaching 2.4 million acres of harvested acres of corn. From a national perspective, corn planted for all purposes in 2023 is estimated at roughly 94 million acres, a 6% increase from the previous year.
While corn has increased in the state, soybean planting in Michigan fell to nearly 2 million acres, a 200,000 acre decrease from last year.
“I’m not surprised as much by the increase in corn acres as I am by the big decline in soybean acres,” Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB) industry relations specialist Theresa Sisung said. “Fertilizer prices starting to decline and corn prices remaining strong throughout the spring while soybean prices fell was a major driver in the corn acreage change.”
From last June, the total amount of stored soybeans dropped 18%, down to 796 million bushels, while on-farm soybean stocks were down 3% and 26% off-farm stocks in the same time frame.
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Drought conditions have improved recently, however they are on track to mirror 2012 conditions based on the same mid July conditions. The next closest year was 2021, but only half, or 40% of corn within the state suffered such dry conditions.
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