Agriculture officials say Michigan’s corn yield is higher this year than it has been in the past three years.
This year's corn yield averages 177.5 bushels per acre, last year’s yield was 156, and in 2015 corn producers saw an average of 170 bushels per acre.
The Corn Marketing Program of Michigan conduct the yield assessments throughout the state.
Angel Jenio is the communications director for the CMPM. She says this is the third year the tour was done.
“Each year we try to get out into the field and do a comprehensive look at the yields across the state, and we found a weighted statewide average of 177.5 bushels per acre. That’s higher than we were expecting and if that holds that would be a record yield for Michigan farmers.”
The corn yield assessment is intended to help corn producers better understand factors that increase yield. And to help the CMPM position themselves to help grow corn markets and increase exports.
Jenio said there are other crop tours around the country, but none have ever come to Michigan, which is why the CMPM started one.
“There has never been another comprehensive crop tour in Michigan, a lot of the farmers will walk their individual fields but Between the Rows Tour is the only comprehensive tour that we have where we’re going county by county to get a picture of what the yields will look like statewide so that we can have a more broad overview of what the crop conditions are.”
A list of the counties checked and their corn yield averages can be found here.