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"Overall all prices are strong. Wheat was pretty strong and it just kept going...Wheat prices are going through the roof, it is really something," stated County MSU Extension Director Martin Nagelkirk.

"Russia is not exporting much and China's supplies are tight, it is all international."

According to MSU Professor & Extension Market Specialist Jim Hilker's web site, world wheat stocks "are projected to be the smallest since 1979, and...use today is much higher...Wheat exports are running 94% above year ago numbers...We are at record prices".

Hilker reported because of high prices, farmers will likely add more wheat to the crop rotation, which has been primarily a battle between corn and soy beans.

The drought was the biggest factor in this year's yields. "Some of us argue it was the driest it has been in at least a decade. It didn't rain from mid-May to mid-August. That is too long...We had a relief rain, the first in quite a while on Aug. 7, one to three inches," Nagelkirk noted.

The drought had some help from spider mites in drying crops out. He said the infestation is the worst they have seen since 1998. "I think we underestimate how much damage it did," Nagelkirk said. Now the unseasonably cool weather has slowed down the crops. "Some of us thought the harvest would be pushed ahead of schedule. But the last few days it has been a little cool and it has been slow to move...We are on schedule historically. But it would be nice to start the soy beans and dry beans and get started planting wheat," Nagelkirk said.

Soy beans

"We've had some hiccups through the year related to the drought. Overall yield is down from what it's been in the past...Maybe a third of the crop is respectable and a third disappointment, the rest in the middle," he reported.

Nagelkirk said the soy beans are maturing but the main part of the harvest is still a couple weeks away.

Corn

"Corn was affected by the drought at least as much as the others. The central and southern part of the county really suffered from the dry conditions," he stated.

"It was dry too long when the corn flowered and started developing an ear. We were concerned because it was exceptionally dry for three to four weeks in July, which is usually when the corn starts to silk. It was a bad time to be in a drought situation," Nagelkirk said.

He noted there was quite a bit of bacterial wilt on the corn this year. "It is extremely rare in this part of Michigan. For the past two years we have seen it in all the corn fields, but it probably did not hurt it very much," Nagelkirk added.

Sugar beets

Michigan Sugar is not expecting the record production they had last year. "We estimate 2.1 to 2.2 tons per acres, down a little, but the quality will be better," stated Vice-President of Agriculture Paul Pfenninger. He reported the ag field men counted 169 plants per 100 foot rows. "That is very, very good. The stand count is very good," he emphasized. "Leaf spot was controlled very well and that leads to increased quality," Pfenninger noted.

"Recent rains 0.8 to 1.5 inch (in Sanilac County) was a real blessing for growth and quality...The dry spell had everybody fearful. With the recent rains we went from pessimistic to optimistic. Now we are cautiously optimistic," he added.

"They were pleasantly surprised by what they found in the random samples (of 114 fields in the county."

The limited delivery harvest will begin Thurs., Sept. 20. They hold off on piling the sugar beets until temperatures cool down to 55 degrees or colder, which is usually mid-October. They expect the campaign to run to late February, early March as usual. "Prices are holding their own, not going up like everything else. They're nothing to write home about," he stated.

Pfenninger also reported the company tested the Round Up Ready sugar beets on about 250 acres in Sanilac County.

"The new technology is going to be available next year or the year after. They're looking good," he said.

Wheat

Nagelkirk reported Sanilac County's wheat crop did not do as well as the past couple years and yields were down 5-10 bushels per acre. However, "wheat did fairly well, better than most of us anticipated. We expected yields would be down a little bit and they were. But they were pretty good given the circumstances," he said. It was very damp and cool last fall.

"Wheat was very slow to emerge and develop," Nagelkirk recalled

Dry Beans

"It's anybody's guess what the overall performance will be. Some fields are pretty decent, others yield will be down because of conditions," he stated. "There are some pretty decent fields in Sanilac County, but overall in the Thumb you will see very low yields up to respectable," Nagelkirk said.

Hay

"It is an important crop here in a good share of the county," he stated. "It got mixed reviews driven by the degree of drought. Overall yields were down. It was strongest at the first cutting," Nagelkirk noted.