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Michigan commodity groups prepare for 30% losses

The head of the Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee says early estimates of the state’s planted acreage are lacking.

Newly named Executive Director Janna Fritz tells Brownfield they’re estimating Michigan’s soybean acreage near 1.6 million with about 40-bushel yields. “Assessments at this point might see potentially from a 15 to a 30 percent decrease from what we’ve seen in past years.”    

She says they’ll be monitoring the crop as it develops but conditions remain highly variable.

The Michigan Corn Market Program is also estimating almost a 30 percent reduction in planted corn acres.

A recent online survey of more than 15,000 growers conducted by Michigan Farm Bureau found only 68 percent of intended corn and 70 percent of intended soybean acres were planted. 

Only six percent of corn acres were able to be switched to soybeans which means more than half of the acres Michigan farmers intended to plant to corn or soybeans this year will be considered prevent plant.  Farmers plan to sow slightly more than half of the prevent plant acres to cover crops with about a third of going to oats.

USDA’s July planting intentions report said Michigan corn acres were unchanged from last year and down less than 10 percent for soybeans.