Crop production is a mixed bag for farmers throughout Michigan. Fruit and vegetable development is near normal, while some are struggling with their field crops because of heavy rainfall in some areas and below-average precipitation in other areas.

Summer strawberry harvest is entering its final phase and blueberries are taking over in western and central Michigan. Michigan State University extension educator Carlos Garcia-Salazar reported in his weekly Crop Advisory Team (CAT) Alert that in western Michigan “in general, the strawberry crop has been abundant with few exceptions, and most U-pick operations are full of customers ready to enjoy Michigan’s fresh berries.

“As strawberry harvest is entering its final phase, blueberry harvest has started in Michigan’s southern counties,” he added. “The harvest of some early-season varieties started the past week with fruit of very good quality. This is the result of the good weather conditions that have prevailed for the most part of the season.”

Apples, pears and peaches continue to develop and hand-thinning is under way, according to last week’s report from the Michigan field office of NASS. Sweet cherry harvest began in the southwest and southeast, while tart cherries were colored in the southwest.

The state’s warm weather has been good for tomatoes, peppers and eggplant, which are flowering in the southeastern Michigan. Early-planted potatoes were in bloom and farmers continued to cultivate and hill their crop.

Field crops continue to make progress, but heavy rains in portions of the state have slowed hay harvest. Farmers reported 80 percent of first-cutting hay is complete, down from 98 percent at this time last year.

Ponding continued to be a problem in some fields in southern and central Michigan, and heavy rains last week caused some erosion and crop damage, according to NASS. Wheat that lodged due to strong storms remains down. Dry bean planting wrapped up and emergence was good, and corn and soybean conditions remained good as long as fields were not swamped.

Warmer and mostly drier conditions during the week ending June 30 allowed Iowa farmers to nearly complete corn and soybeans planting, according to the July 1 Iowa Crop & Weather report.

“It’s great to make progress in planting,” said Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey. “The crops are looking better, but are still behind maturity for this time.”

The report said with 99 percent of the corn crop in the ground, “Iowa farmers have virtually wrapped up planting,” with 96 percent emerging, about three weeks behind normal.

“Corn spraying is basically complete – finally,” said Jeff Blauwet, field agronomist for Farmers Elevator Co-op in Doon, in the upper northwestern corner of Iowa. “This has to be the latest finish date I can remember.

“Corn really is moving with most fields now canopied or very close and with the forecast it will keep moving nicely. We are just finishing topdress/sidedress nitrogen applications to the last of the corn. Most acres are starting to get the nice dark green look we are always striving for.”

The report added 96 percent of soybeans have been planted, with 89 percent emerging.

“The soybeans are finally starting to take off a little and we are just starting some post applications to them,” Blauwet said. “I still believe they are going to be shorter plants this year.”

Moreover, 84 percent of oats headed, with 7 percent turning color, well behind last year’s 63 percent. The report said farmers continued to make good progress harvesting alfalfa, with the first cutting 89 percent complete.

The spring and summer in Kentucky have been wet for the most part, but last week’s rains sent creeks out of their banks and rivers on the rise as farmers tried to finish planting.

The latest report from the NASS Kentucky field office noted rainfall levels for the week ending June 30 were nearly an inch above normal, and last week some areas received nearly 7 inches of rain.

Corn progress was still behind last year’s level but the condition of the crop is far better. The NASS rated Kentucky corn as being 1 percent very poor, 2 percent poor, 15 percent fair, 57 percent good and 25 percent excellent.

Eighty-eight percent of the soybean crop had been planted by the beginning of July, which trailed last year when the entire crop had been planted by this time. But nearly all of the state’s crops are behind this year due to wet weather. The soybeans that have been planted are listed as 1 percent very poor, 2 percent poor, 16 percent fair, 65 percent good and 16 percent excellent.

Burley tobacco setting was nearly complete at 95 percent; behind progress at this point last year but surprisingly, not by much. By the first of July 2012, 99 percent of the crop had been planted.

Planting of the dark tobacco crop was nearly complete by July 1, with 98 percent in the ground. Thus far the state’s tobacco is in pretty good shape. NASS rated the crop as 1 percent very poor, 2 percent poor, 19 percent fair, 56 percent good and 22 percent excellent.

Those conditions are likely to change after the crop is evaluated following all the rain received last week.

The winter wheat harvest has also been slowed by weather. Only 66 percent of the crop had been harvested as of July 1. That is well behind the 2012 crop, when it had nearly reached completion by this time.