Michigan hay production was estimated at 4.2 million tons, down 17 percent from 1995. Alfalfa and alfalfa mixtures accounted for 82 percent of all dry hay produced. All hay harvested acres, at 1.3 million, were down 4 percent from the previous year. The average all hay yield was 3.22 tons per acre, down 0.5 tons from 1995. The crop suffered from the cool, wet spring and the dry summer. First cutting was delayed due to the rain and yields on subsequent cuttings were reduced because of the dry weather. Alfalfa and alfalfa mixtures accounted for 950,000 acres of the total with a yield of 3.60 tons per acre, while other types of hay accounted for 350,000 acres with a yield of 2.20 tons per acre. Value of the hay crop was $355.3 million, up 7 percent from a year earlier.

Table 4-5.-Hay: Stocks on farms
Year	May 1	December 1
	1,000 tons
1993	510	3,185
1994	753	3,020
1995	1,074	3,166
1996	754	2,514
1997	460

Michigan maple syrup production was estimated at 75,000 gallons for the 1997 season, 13,000 gallons below 1996 harvest of 88,000 gallons. Production in Michigan varied regionally with weather conditions. Production in the southern part of the state was favorable and produced a good flow of high grade syrup. Producers in the northern Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula had a poor crop due to colder temperatures and heavy snow cover. These conditions shortened the season and slowed the flow of sap. The average price received per gallon was $25.50 compared with $31.10 last year. Total value of production was estimated at $1.9 million, down 30 percent from the last spring. About 64 percent of the crop was sold retail, up from 50 percent last year. The rest was sold wholesale and bulk. Michigan ranks seventh in maple syrup production out of the ten major producing States, producing 6 percent of the 1.3 million gallons on the national level.

Table 4-6.-Maple syrup
[Price and value for 1996 are revised. Price and value for 1997 are preliminary]
Year	Production	Price received	Value of production
	Gallons	Dollars	1,000 dollars
1993	75,000	25.50	1,913
1994	85,000	29.30	2,491
1995	55,000	26.90	1,480
1996	88,000	31.10	2,737
1997	75,000	25.50	1,913

Michigan's 1996 potato production decreased 16 percent from last year to 13.8 million hundredweight (cwt.). The state yield averaged 300 cwt. per acre, unchanged from a year ago. Growers planted acres 52,000 acres and harvested 46,000. Most of the crop loss occurred in the Thumb area of Michigan due to excessive rain and flooding. Poor yields were experienced in many eastern growing counties. However, western counties, such as Montcalm, experienced optimal growing conditions that resulted in outstanding yields. Montcalm, Bay and St. Joseph counties were the leading counties in potato acreage.

Michigan ranked 10th among states in potato production in 1996. Most Michigan potatoes are whites, which comprise 72 percent of planted acreage, followed by russets and reds which comprise 25 and 3 percent of planted acreage, respectively. Whites are sold for fresh table use or processed for potato chips while russets are used for french fries and other frozen products. Beginning with the 1995 potato crop, the estimating program was changed. The acreage grown in the area formerly known as the "summer" area, which included Arenac, Bay, Huron, Saginaw, Sanilac and Tuscola counties, was moved to the fall category to more properly reflect their use.

Table 4-7.-Potatoes: Production and disposition
Year	Production	Total used for seed 1	Used on farm where grown		Sold
			For seed, feed, and household use	Shrink and loss
	1,000 cwt.
1992	13,920	987	250	1,270	12,400
1993	15,280	1,053	250	1,230	13,800
1994	14,040	963	204	1,750	12,086
1995	16,350	962	168	690	15,492
1996	13,800	(2)	(2)	(2)	(2)
1 Includes seed purchased and seed used on farms where grown.
2 Not available at publication time.

Table 4-8.-Potatoes: Stocks
Crop year	December 1	January 1	February 1	March 1	April 1	May 1
	1000 cwt.
1992	7,000	5,500	4,200	2,900	1,700	600
1993	7,300	5,800	4,400	3,100	1,800	700
1994	8,000	6,500	5,000	4,000	2,500	1,200
1995	9,600	8,300	6,500	4,800	2,700	1,200
1996	8,000	6,600	5,100	4,000	2,500	1,300

Barley growers planted 28,000 acres in 1996 and harvested 25,000 acres compared with 25,000 acres planted and 23,000 acres harvested in 1995. Total production was up 4 percent from the previous year at 1.2 million bushels. The average yield was down slightly to 48 bushels per acre from 50 bushels per acre in 1995.

Oat acreage in Michigan declined for the third consecutive year in 1996. Growers planted 70,000 acres of oats in 1996 compared with 110,000 a year earlier. Harvested acres, at 60,000, hit their lowest level since records started in 1866. The 1996 oat production was 3.6 million bushels, down 30 percent from the previous year. Yields were up 3 bushels from 1995, at 60 bushels per acre. The lower production levels resulted in a 15 percent decrease in value of production. Alpena county ranked first in oat production for 1996, while Huron and Sanilac rank second and third, respectively.

Planted acres of rye totaled 80,000 in 1996, down 10,000 from 1995. Since rye is primarily used in Michigan as a winter cover crop, only 13,000 acres were harvested for grain. Rye production was estimated at 351,000 bushels, down 35 percent from a year earlier. Yields averaged 27 bushels per acre, compared with a record 34 bushels per acre in 1995.

Michigan's 1996 winter wheat crop totaled 23.9 million bushels, down 36 percent from 1995. Planted acres were up 70,000 from the previous year to 700,000, while harvested acreage increased 10,000 acres from 1995, to 630,000 acres. Yields averaged 38 bushels per acre, down from the record 60 bushels per acre a year earlier due to winter kill and the cool, wet spring weather. The crop also was affected by vomitoxin which caused some quality problems. Due to decreased production and a slight drop in price the value of the crop was down 39 percent from the previous year, at $93.4 million. Lenawee, Huron, Eaton, Sanilac, and Monroe ranked as the top five wheat producing counties.

Table 4-10.-Small grains: Stocks by quarter
[Includes interior mills, elevators, warehouses, cereal food processing plants, census merchant mills, terminal and C.C.C. bins]
Item	Cro p yea r	September 1		December 1		March 1		June 1
		On farm	Off farm	On farm	Off farm	On farm	Off farm	On farm	Off farm
	1,000 bushels
Wheat	1992	5,000	23,316	2,500	15,096	1,300	11,386	400	5,742
	1993	3,500	15,186	1,600	14,360	800	9,469	300	5,120
	1994	3,500	20,506	1,500	17,803	800	13,554	500	6,556
	1995	1,800	23,892	1,300	16,380	700	10,869	300	4,531
	1996	2,300	12,963	1,300	9,952	800	9,108	400	5,235
Oats	1992	4,000	1,674	3,000	2,401	1,800	1,898	1,100	1,398
	1993	3,500	2,606	3,000	2,476	2,200	1,671	1,200	1,128
	1994	2,500	1,984	2,300	1,704	1,800	1,200	1,000	657
	1995	2,000	1,708	1,700	1,338	1,200	980	700	441
	1996	1,500	717	1,300	--	1,000	981	500	463
Barley	1992	--	119	--	158	--	130	--	--
	1993	--	291	--	156	--	66	--	--
	1994	--	143	--	115	--	73	--	32
	1995	--	69	--	25	--	42	--	26
	1996	--	--	--	9	--	--	--	31

Table 4-11.-Grain storage: Michigan
Year	Off farm		On farm capacity
	Facilities	Rated capacity
	Number	1,000 bushels
1992	297	144,000	260,000
1993	300	147,000	260,000
1994	295	143,000	260,000
1995	293	146,000	250,000
1996	292	146,000	240,000

Michigan soybean production totaled 46.7 million bushels, down 22 percent from the record set in 1995. The yield was a 28.5 bushels per acre in 1996, down 11.5 bushels per acre from the record yield of 1995. Planted and harvested acres were both up 150,000 acres to 1.65 million and 1.64 million, respectively. One reason for the increase was the startup of a new processing plant in 1997. The total crop value of $313.2 million, was a decrease of 19 percent from 1995. Lenawee, Saginaw, and Gratiot were the top counties in soybean production, with Clinton and Shiawassee rounding out the top five.

Table 4-12.-Soybeans: Stocks by quarter
Crop year	December 1		March 1		June 1		September 1
	On farm	Off farm	On farm	Off farm	On farm	Off farm	On farm	Off farm
	1,000 bushels
1992	21,000	10,259	9,500	7,349	4,000	3,720	1,100	861
1993	12,000	15,984	8,500	9,227	3,500	4,911	850	945
1994	17,500	19,121	9,800	10,188	6,000	5,142	2,200	1,532
1995	14,000	18,888	10,000	9,836	3,300	4,489	900	1,186
1996	12,000	12,857	7,000	8,642	3,000	2,767

Acres planted to sugarbeets in Michigan declined 19 percent in 1996, to 153,000 acres planted. Harvested acreage, at 130,000, declined 31 percent from the previous year. Cool, wet conditions delayed planting and resulted in replanting. Late June rains flooded fields and resulted in the higher than normal abandonment. Yields averaged 15.1 tons per acre compared with 15.8 tons per acre in 1995. The crop suffered from a lack of rain during much of the summer resulting in the lowest yields in over 30 years. Total tonnage declined 34 percent from 1995, to 1.96 million tons. Huron and Tuscola were the top sugar-beet producing counties for 1996.

January provided little snow cover for winter wheat in the lower part of the state. A small amount of remaining corn was harvested. Livestock did reasonably well, but were affected by cold temperatures. Feed supplies were adequate. Major activities for the month were caring for livestock, plowing snow, hauling manure, selling corn and soybeans, and planning for spring. Some pruning of fruit trees continued as weather permitted.

In February standing water and ice on wheat and hay fields were of concern. Livestock conditions were fair. Some livestock suffered from the extreme temperature changes. Feed supplies were adequate. Pruning of fruit trees continued as weather permitted. Major activities for the month were caring for livestock, plowing snow, hauling manure, selling corn and soybeans, income taxes, and planning for spring.

Spring tillage was very limited in March and behind normal. Standing water and ice remained on wheat and hay fields. Livestock conditions were normal with no unusual problems. Feed supplies remained adequate. Maple sap collection was active with a good run. Major activities for the month were caring for livestock, hauling manure, spread ing fertilizer, selling corn and soybeans, and repairing equipment.

Snow cover and wet weather limited spring tillage in early April. Winter wheat was damaged, particularly in the Thumb, due to the extreme temperatures, standing water, and ice cover during the past months. Barley and oats were planted at the end of the month. Livestock conditions were normal with no unusual problems. Calving and lambing were in full swing during the month and went well. Feed supplies remained adequate. There was some pruning and spraying of fruit trees. By late April all spring activities were at least two weeks behind normal. An April 30th snow storm in Northern Michigan further delayed activities.

The beginning of May was too wet and cold for planting, though some farmers managed to get some corn and small grains in the ground. Winter wheat conditions continued to decline, and some acreage was plowed under and replanted to other crops. Heavy rains and record low temperatures prevailed causing planting to become well behind the average progress. Low temperatures and frequent rains throughout May constantly curtailed field work and caused Michigan crops to be planted well behind average progress.

Minimal rain in the beginning of June improved crop conditions and sped planting. A frost hit some parts of the state, and some fruit damage was reported. Lack of warmer temperatures stagnated growth and development of many crops. Most crops were planted much later than normal. June was a poor month for haying. Many farmers replanted sugarbeets and dry beans due to flooding. Fruit crops were reported a week behind schedule, and bacterial and fungal diseases spread due to wet conditions. Wet conditions dominated much of the later part of the month causing flooding in many fields in the Thumb. This made it difficult on the advancing crops, and many acres were lost.

Sunny weather helped dry out crops in July. Most of the crops were behind in development and were hindered further with a dry spell mid-to-late part of the month. Lack of rain affected the southern part of the state most. The northern districts progressed onward nicely due to some rain. Wheat harvest got off to a slow start in late July and the disease "vomitoxin" was widespread. Tart cherry harvest started about ten days late in all producing regions.

Dry weather conditions continued through August. Though temperatures were warmer and crops improved. Dry conditions limited growth since crops were still behind in development. Fruit crop development remained behind the normal also. There were reports of more predation and disease incidence among these crops. The dry bean crop bloomed later than normal because of late plantings. Hay yields were reduced on 2d and 3d cuttings.

Mid-September brought much needed rain to parched crops. However, the standing water that resulted from the rain slowed harvest in some areas. Most of the crops were rated in fair to good condition, and lagged behind the 5 year average for progress. Corn silage harvest got off to a slow start. Dry bean harvest started in late September, about two weeks behind normal. Planting of the 1997 winter wheat crop got off to a slow start in the late part of the month.

Frost hit the state in early October. Some late planted crops were damaged, since they had not reached maturity. Temperatures were cooler than usual. Harvesting of field crops made reasonable progress. The late maturing dry bean crop escaped serious frost damage. Sugarbeet digging got underway in earnest in the late part of the month.

November brought some snow and rain. High winds in the beginning of the month caused some damage to corn. Temperatures fluctuated across the state with some areas above normal while others were well below average. Harvesting of corn for grain and soybeans progressed. This was a late harvest compared with the 5 year average. High corn moisture in many areas delayed the start of rapid harvesting until November. About 70 percent of Michigan's corn was picked during the month. Most of the soybean crop was combined by mid month.

Farmers finished corn and soybean harvest in December as snow came and went. Completing harvest, spreading manure, and tilling fields were activities during the month. Winter wheat and alfalfa were exposed to some frost damage due to alternating freezing and thawing. Topsoil moisture was in surplus due to snow melt and rains. Livestock conditions were good throughout the state. Hay was in short supply which caused prices to rise. Other feed supplies were considered adequate.