Weekly Ag Update

By ned birkey

msu EXTENSION EDUCATOR EMERITUS

SPARTAN AG 

 The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center’s to Aug. 25, 2026 is calling for leaning above normal temperatures and near normal precipitation. MSU Enviroweather, on Aug. 12, at the Blissfield/ Deerfield location, recorded 3.14 inches of rain since Aug. 1, compared to none last year and a five-year average of .76 inch. Looking back in 2026, January, June and July have been consistently 3 to 4 inches more than the five-year average precipitation. The Climate Prediction Center outlook through Sept. 4, 2026, predicts normal temperatures and leans to below normal precipitation. Although astronomical fall begins at 8:04pm EDT on Sept. 22, meteorological fall is September, October and November, which is forecast to have equal to leaning above normal temperatures and normal precipitation. Meteorological winter (December through February) is forecast to be above normal temperatures but normal precipitation.

2026 MSU Wheat performance trial results have been released in partnership with the Michigan Wheat (checkoff) Program. This is the 31st year for the MSU trials and 14th year for a high-management component, which looks at comparative yield, disease resistance and quality parameters for emerging new wheat varieties. The 2026 trials included 129 varieties, including 52 commercially available varieties and 77 experimental lines supplied by 10 seed companies and the MSU wheat breeding program. New is an Excel spreadsheet tool for farmers to compare and sort information. Overall yields for soft red wheat varieties ranged from 117.6 to 102.7 bushels per acre. Michigan has nearly 8,000 wheat farmers who grow about 40 million bushels on 450,000 acres.

Corn yields can be estimated after the number of kernels is fixed, about two weeks after the end of pollination. Ear size determination begins when a corn plant is knee-high and finishes 10 to 14 days prior to silk emergence. The number of harvestable kernels per ear is an important contributor to the grain yield potential of a corn plant. Severe stress during ear formation may limit the potential number of kernels and yield before pollination has even occurred. Although kernels per bushel can vary from about 72,000 to 108,000 for smaller size kernels, estimates normally assume the average number of kernels per bushel at 90,000. Some seed companies and the Michigan Corn Growers Association have handy slide rule calculators to do these estimates. It is wa-a-ay too early to do soybean yield estimates, and plant size is NOT a reliable indicator of yield.

Fall vegetable gardens can be planted starting now, in late summer, as temperatures begin to moderate and rainfall may be more plentiful. Cool season crops include spinach, lettuce, radishes, broccoli, green onions, carrots, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and turnips. Fall gardening is easier as soils are already warm, annual weeds and many insects have finished their life cycle.

Just a reminder that the “new” fall frost (32ºF) date is around Oct. 25 and freeze (28ºF) date is about Nov. 4, depending on your exact location. Based on 30 years of records (1980-2010), MSU has calculated the spring frost/ freeze dates are one week earlier and fall frost/freeze dates are one week later than the previous calculations (1950-1980).