Moisture was abundant for most of Michigan this year. Disease has been kept at bay, and according to The Corn Marketing Program of Michigan’s annual yield tour, the state could see record-setting yields.

Kristin Poley, CMPM research and agronomy director, says Michigan corn farmers could see an average of 181 bushels per acre. That’s a bump compared to the USDA August estimate of 177 bushels per acre.

“Keep in mind these are early August estimates, and there is a lot of time left in the season to chip away at that average,” she says. “Whether we hit the USDA estimate, or inch closer to our projection, this would be a record year for corn. Our previous statewide average record came in 2021 at 174 bushels per acre.”

It's the 10th year CMPM has conducted the yield check and tour. This year, it completed 378 checks in 36 counties in the Lower Peninsula.

FIELD CHECK: Here is a representation of fields checked in Washtenaw County.

At the county level, most counties are sitting in the 175- to 199-average-bushel-per-acre range, Poley reports. “Our lowest county average came in at 166 bushels per acre for Calhoun County,” she says. “Huron and Tuscola counties stand out as areas struggling a bit — those areas didn’t see quite the same level or frequency of moisture as the rest of the state.”

For the yield checks, CMPM was assisted by Nutrien Ag Solution’s team of summer interns for the third year.

“We could not complete this volume of yield checks without their help,” says Poley, who also noted two FFA chapters, Ovid-Elsie Middle School FFA and Sanilac FFA, participated with the data collection this year.

“We invite FFA chapters to learn how to conduct a yield check in corn, and their chapter is paid up to $200 for completing yield checks for the Between the Rows tour,” she adds.

Farmers and others in the ag industry were invited to each of the eight free farm tour stops, which included presentations from a local grain marketer and an update on fertilizer prices, while CMPM provided an update on programming and future events.

“By combining yield results with presentations on current and future market conditions from a global and local perspective, we hope that growers are able to plan for their corn crop and make the best decision possible about when and where to sell,” Poley says.

Observations from the field

CMPM has recently gotten reports of ear molds that could contain vomitoxin. “But it’s nothing like last year’s widespread infection,” Poley reports. “While it is too late to apply a fungicide to protect against ear molds, we recommend growers scout fields to keep an eye on development.”

Inconsistent corn ear development, an issue for Michigan growers in recent years, doesn’t seem to be a problem this year.

The tour also found tar spot statewide, prompting most growers to apply at least one pass of fungicide.

“At the time of our yield checks in early August, it was noticeable in some areas, but not at a level that would severely impact yield,” Poley says. “For both tar spot and vomitoxin, growers should be prepared to harvest infected fields first.”

FARM STOP: Eager Farms hosted a tour stop in Sanilac County.

With tight margins and a record corn yield flooding the market further, farmer sentiment is low, she reports. “That’s why we see these marketing sessions at each stop as a critical need: Help growers to make decisions about when and where to market their corn to get the best price possible,” Poley says.

Data from the National Agricultural Statistics Service and the National Corn Growers Association suggests U.S. farmers are dealing with the largest on-farm corn stocks since 1988.

 “If on-farm stocks aren’t moved before harvest, this could create a storage issue, not to mention adding a large volume of 2023 corn to the market that could deflate prices even further,” she adds.