Michigan
Michigan’s summer can be summed up in one word: Hot. While rain was short in the first half of summer, it’s making up for lost time, with some areas receiving buckets at a time while other areas are getting steady soaking rains just in time to renew the crops and keep things growing.

Brian Troyer of Coldwater checked in with his crop evaluation from around the state. According to his estimation, corn is still very uneven around the state and seems worse in the Thumb than anywhere else. He said heavier ground seems to have led to more uneven crops, even some soybeans are uneven.

Troyer reported most of the corn is starting to look pretty good with heat, humidity and timely rains giving it a boost. In St. Joe and Branch counties, seed corn is being detasseled and boundary rows are being mowed in preparation for harvest. There is talk of seed corn being damaged because it was pollinating in the hot, hot weather.

Troyer said third-cutting hay is off in southern Lower Michigan and is in the process in of being harvested in the Thumb area. Short rains in July are resulting in less tonnage than normal.
Wheat harvest is over and straw is being baled all over the state, while sugar beets will likely be a challenge because of the wet spring and uneven rains, as the ground is getting crusted. Potato harvest has begun in the southwestern corner of the state.
In southeastern Michigan, Ned Birkey, Michigan State University extension, reports corn is mostly at the silking stage though there are some fields nearly a week away from tasseling. The relentless heat during July has farmers checking fields for pollination problems.

Birkey reported wheat yields were generally good with excellent test weights. If soybeans are harvested on time, he expects good interest in planting the same or more acres to soft red or soft white winter wheat this fall.

Although third-cutting alfalfa was shorter, in full bloom and needing to be cut, hay is plentiful, which translates into lower prices.
By Melissa Hart
Michigan Correspondent

Iowa
July 25-31 was the second straight week of high heat and heavy humidity, which continued to present challenges for crops and livestock, according to Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey.
“Record rainfall in the Dubuque area on Wednesday night into Thursday morning also created some flash flooding that caused some damage to property and crops,” he said, commenting on the week prior to the Aug. 1 Iowa Crop & Weather report.

Despite heat and humidity, the report said major activities focused on “fungicide applications to corn and pesticide applications to soybeans,” with forage crops “having the hardest time with the heat and humidity, slowing re-growth.” State Meteorologist Harry Hillaker said preliminary data indicated July 2011 was Iowa’s warmest month since August 1983 and the warmest July since 1955.

“Heat indices were also highest on Wednesday with official readings up to 110 degrees at Iowa City and unofficial readings to 126,” he said.

The report said 97 percent of corn is now tasseling, with 90 percent of the crop silking and 35 percent has reached the milk stage. The report also said 91 percent of soybeans is blooming, with pods set on half.

Three-quarters of oats have been harvested, with second-cutting alfalfa at 86 percent complete and third-cutting 8 percent complete.

Moreover, since sudden death syndrome (SDS) has appeared during the last week of July or the first week of August in Iowa for the past several years, Iowa State University researchers said symptoms of SDS will begin appearing in the state within the next couple of weeks. They advised farmers to begin scouting for the soybean disease.

By Doug Schmitz
Iowa Correspondent

Tennessee
Several types of crops in Tennessee are doing well despite high temperatures and little moisture. Tobacco, cotton, corn and soybeans are rated as mostly being in good to excellent condition and most crops are progressing at a normal rate across the state, according to NASS.

Cotton is setting bolls and soybeans are setting pods at a pace about a week behind their five-year averages.

While other crops are getting along with the heat, pastures did not have a good week. Pasture growth has stopped because of the heat and lack of moisture. Even though it was the only crop last week to have a rating of “very poor,” however, nearly half of pastures are rated in good condition.

“A heavy thunderstorm moved through the county on Saturday afternoon (July 30), dropping a much needed and timely rain. Crops and pastures were beginning to become very dry. This rain was very helpful. There are sections of the county still dry in spots,” reported Hickman County extension agent Troy Dugger.
“The heat is damaging later-planted corn. Rain has been spotted in the county,” reported John Bartee, agent for Montgomery County.

“Only parts of the county are receiving a weekly rainfall. The higher temperatures are starting to deplete any moisture from the topsoil and subsoil. Overall, local farms have had a good summer vegetable harvest. Septoria leaf spot disease of tomato has been a serious problem this year,” said David Cook, Davidson County agent.

“Another week with no rain other than a few, light spotty showers. High temperatures and dry weather are stressing double-crop beans. Farmers are cutting hay, spraying pastures, soybeans, et cetera. Vendors are filling farmers’ markets with produce. A good general rain is needed,” reported agent J. Dale Beaty of Warren County.

According to NASS and the National Weather Service, temperatures averaged near-to-slightly-above normal across Tennessee this week. Middle and East Tennessee rainfall averaged at or slightly below normal. Rainfall was below normal in West Tennessee.
By Tesa Nauman
Tennessee Correspondent

Kentucky

The summer heat is still the hot topic in the state as temperatures hovered in the 90s once again last week. That heat, coupled with sporadic downpours and heavy dew points, has created disease problems for many vegetable growers.

The latest information from NASS’ Kentucky field office reported the corn crop here last week to be 1 percent very poor, 3 percent poor, 30 percent fair, 40 percent good and 26 percent excellent.
“Corn silked was 74 percent complete as of Sunday, July 31, compared to 89 percent for 2010 and the five-year average. Percent of corn that have reach the milk stage was 44 percent, compared to 66 percent for the previous year and 58 percent for the average,” the report noted.

Kentucky’s soybean crop was rated as 4 percent poor, 34 percent fair, 45 percent good and 17 percent excellent, according to the latest available NASS information. As of July 31, 60 percent of the crop had bloomed, compared to last year’s 79 percent and 66 for the five-year average. Twenty-five percent of soybeans have set pods, compared to 43 last year and the five-year average of 33 percent.

Tobacco topping continued at a steady pace last week. Seventy-eight percent of dark tobacco has bloomed and 50 percent has been topped. Both numbers are almost identical to last year’s crop.

The burley crop is still behind, with only 18 percent topped compared to 32 percent a year ago. The crop was rated as 1 percent very poor, 5 percent poor, 29 percent fair, 46 percent good and 19 percent excellent.
By Tim Thornberry
Kentucky Correspondent