EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan corn farmers are hoping for an extended growing season because historically low amounts of corn are behind in maturity.

Just 10 percent of corn in the state had reached maturity by Sept. 20 and 23 percent had done so a week later, according to USDA in its most recent crop condition reports.

That’s far below the state’s five-year average of 48 percent maturity at this point in the season and, currently, last among the top 18 corn producing states tracked by USDA.

In comparison, the USDA report this week revealed the corn maturity rate was 83 percent in Illinois, 62 percent in Indiana and 48 percent in Ohio.

Monica Jean, a Michigan State University Extension field crops educator, was not surprised about the unusually high amount of late maturing corn.

“It’s probably about right,” she said.

Jean said a major factor in the low maturity rate is having a lot of late planted corn because of a very wet and cold spring in many parts, including the southern part of the state.

She said there were also areas like the “Thumb” section of the state that experienced drought-like conditions for several weeks in July and August while rainfall elsewhere during that critical growing period was plentiful.

Despite what’s been a challenging year for many Michigan farmers, Jean said there still could be a decent crop this fall but the key will be a late frost to keep the late planted corn alive for an extended period and enough warm, sunny weather to give the corn time to mature at a time when the number of growing degree days in the season are becoming fewer.

“It’s definitely a concern,” she said.

Marty Rudlaff, with the Berrien County branch of Michigan Farm Bureau, said of the report, “It doesn’t really surprise me much,” he said.

Rudlaff said there are more fields in his neck of the woods with late planted corn this year, judging by the amount of life still in the stalks, which usually have turned brown or mostly brown by now. “There’s a lot of green out there yet,” he said.

Rudlaff said the late planted corn was helped recently by heavy rainfall, which helps kernels in their bid to reach maturity during their final growth stages.

Michigan Corn Growers Association Executive Director Scott Piggott said the wet spring delayed planting the most in southern Michigan while unfavorable conditions were more sporadic elsewhere in the state.

He’s not predicting a record harvest, but feels the state will still produce a decent-sized crop and hopes the weather cooperates with late planted corn growers.

“Hopefully, we see a little Indian summer for those folks and they get a little more heat to be able to finish off a crop,” he said.

USDA also rated the corn in Michigan as 48 percent good; 10 percent excellent; 35 percent fair and 6 percent poor/very poor.

Currently, USDA is forecasting corn yields in Michigan this fall at 174 bushels per acre, which is four bushels per acre less than 2025.

USDA is also predicting 339.3 million bushels of corn will be harvested, which would be a 3.7-percent decline from a year ago.