Michigan Corn says record yields are possible

News

Michigan Corn says record yields are possible

A statewide corn yield tour across Michigan is finding USDA’s projected record corn yield is achievable.

Research manager for the Corn Marketing Program of Michigan Kristin Poley tells Brownfield the Between the Rows Tour takes yield checks across 36 counties in the Lower Peninsula.

“What we’re really seeing is a yield between 170 and 180 bushels per acre and it really is nicely distributed across the entire state,” she says.

Earlier in the growing season, more than 90 percent of Michigan was experiencing drought conditions.  Poley says stress is most noticeable in areas that had prolonged periods and excessive drought.

“We suspect that the Thumb counties, Tuscola, Huron, and Sanilac, are going to see slightly lower yields this year because they had a prolonged drought,” she explains.  “They were in that moderate to severe drought status for seven to eight weeks.”

Brownfield interviewed Poley at the first tour stop in Allegan Monday. 

Host farmer Jake Drozd tells Brownfield they experienced extremely dry and extremely wet conditions this season, and are back to dry. “There’s stuff that doesn’t look that great but kernel sets still look decent, so I don’t really know what to expect,” he says.

Poley estimates Allegan County yields at 180 bushels per acre.  USDA is forecasting Michigan yields this season at 169 bushels per acre, a state record.

The Between the Rows tour runs through September 2nd.

.