Climate Change Challenges Michigan Corn Farmers Amid Unpredictable Weather

Robb Rynd and his brother have long cherished their 200-acre farm in Paw Paw, Michigan, cultivating corn, soybeans, wheat, and sorghum.

 

Last year, they reveled in a bountiful harvest, sharing the joy of thriving fields with their children.

 

This season, however, tells a different tale.

 

Throughout the summer, Rynd has observed troubling signs: brown, wilting leaves and ears of corn missing kernels.

 

“It’s almost kind of depressing to go out there and look at it and say, ‘oh yep, it does look bad,’” he lamented.

 

Across Michigan, farmers are confronting the harsh realities of climate change.

 

Consistently high overnight temperatures, droughts, and untimely heavy rains are disrupting corn pollination, making each full ear of corn less certain.

 

Despite these challenges, late-season weather has been favorable, leading to predictions of a record bumper crop in 2025.

 

However, experts caution that extreme weather events are intensifying the uncertainty between planting and harvest.

 

Human-induced climate change has exacerbated extreme heat events and increased the likelihood of hotter nights since 1970.

 

“The hot nights too, like the corn’s never getting a break. It’s just hot all the time,” Rynd noted.

 

High temperatures can stress corn by lowering pollen production and reducing fertility.

 

“I think any of the pollination issues that we might be having are more because the nights have been so exceedingly warm,” said Larry Walton, a neighboring farmer.

 

Excessive moisture can also lead to corn smut, a type of fungus that grows on the ears.

 

Farmers are paying more attention to these issues due to increasingly variable weather.

 

Despite the challenges, the U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasts a “monster U.S. corn crop in 2025.”

 

However, the journey hasn’t been smooth for everyone.

 

“This has probably been one of ... I’ve experienced in my career,” said Philip Good, a farmer in Macon, ... .

 

Late summer is a critical period for farmers as they assess potential earnings and plan future investments.

 

Patchy pollination complicates these decisions.

 

“We’d like to upgrade a tractor … or we’d maybe try to pick up some ... ,” Rynd said.

 

“It’s hard to want to go do ... .”

 

When pollination issues are severe, with 15% to 25 ... each ear lacking kernels, significant yield losses can occur.

 

Farmers are increasingly turning to innovative solutions like mechanical pollination to mitigate these challenges.

 

“You learn to roll with the stress ... can’t control anyway,” Walton added.

 

As climate variability continues to impact agriculture, Michigan farmers remain resilient, adapting to ensure the future of their crops and livelihoods.