Michigan farmers continue to make good progress as planting and emergence of corn and soybeans remain far ahead of normal, according to last week’s report from the Michigan field office of the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

For the most part, farmers in Allegan County, in the southwestern part of the state, are done planting corn and soybeans, said Mike Staton, Michigan State University extension soybean educator. Wheat had flowered and was probably about a week away from beginning to turn, and the first cutting of alfalfa was harvested.

“We’re sitting pretty good,” he said. “Everything looks good and we haven’t had any major problems.”

The area had been dry and in several instances, soybeans were planted into dry soil, Staton explained. Anticipated rain over last weekend was expected to wet the soil and help prevent uneven emergence in the soybeans, he added.

According to NASS, 97 percent of the state’s corn crop had been planted, up from 64 percent at this time last year. The five-year average is 85 percent. Eighty percent of the crop had emerged. Last year, 39 percent had emerged; the five-year average is 58 percent.

For soybeans, 81 percent of the crop had been planted, up from 29 percent last year. The five-year average is 59 percent. Forty-nine percent of the crop had emerged, up from 13 percent last year. The five-year average is 23 percent.

Winter wheat was also way ahead of normal, as 85 percent of the crop was headed, up from 6 percent last year. The five-year average is 19 percent.

The corn crop was rated at 97 percent fair to excellent, while hay was 74 percent fair to excellent and oats were 94 percent fair to excellent.

Crop progress percentages are well above their five-year averages, according to the NASS Illinois field office.

Corn emergence stands at 97 percent, compared to its 72 percent five-year average. Soybean and sorghum plantings of 94 and 71 percent, respectively, blast the 55 and 23 percent five-year averages.

Filled wheat’s 95 percent completely soars past the five-year 44 percent average. Alfalfa first cutting tops 92 percent, nearly three times the 37 percent five-year standard.

Warm temperatures and pockets of rain helped establish corn. Though the crop is generally in good condition, drier weather patterns are causing some concern.

“In deeper soils that can provide 8 to 10 inches of water to a crop, there should be enough water to keep the crop growing well into June,” said Emerson Nafziger, University of Illinois crop sciences professor. “At some point, of course, we will need rain to keep the crop growing up to its potential.”

Though the corn crop is 97 percent planted and is growing soundly, reports of “floppy” corn plants are popping up in western and northwestern Illinois and southeastern Iowa. “Given the better-than-average planting conditions this year, this was not a problem that we expected to see,” says Nafziger.

“It is an easy problem to spot. If the nodal root system fails to develop, the plant becomes wobbly and may fall over. There is little to be done once this happens. There are reports that some of this corn is already being replanted.”

The state’s weather could best be described as a rollercoaster. Unusually hot and dry weather stressed crops across the state the third week of May, with some areas experiencing record-setting heat in the mid-90s on May 26-27.

Windy conditions have made it difficult to apply herbicides and temperatures have decreased their effectiveness. Last week, a cold snap brought highs in the 60s on Friday, along with some much-needed rain. But the state is still 2.6 inches below the yearly average.

The U.S. Drought Monitor map shows parts of 11 counties in northeastern and southwestern Indiana in a moderate drought and 52 more counties with abnormally dry conditions. Replanting has been necessary in some soybean fields because hard, crusted soils led to poor emergence and thin stands.

“It’s almost too much to understand,” said Joe Kelsey, director of the Indiana Department of Agriculture. “You have temps that could dip as low as the 50s here, you have corn knee-high in June and yet, there is talk of a drought.”

NASS reported that 96 percent of corn acreage has emerged, compared with 36 percent last year, with conditions rated 56 percent good to excellent.

Ninety-three percent of the intended soybean acreage has been planted, compared with 23 percent last year, with 79 percent emerged.

Ninety-six percent of the winter wheat acreage has headed, compared with 71 percent last year. Condition of winter wheat, still standing, declined slightly and is now rated 66 percent good to excellent.