The Top 10 Most Valuable Crops Harvested in Michigan

Michigan is known for a lot of things. It’s often referred to as the Great Lake State due to its proximity to four out of the five Great Lakes. The climate in Michigan is harsh in the winter, but spring through fall is temperate with adequate rainfall. This makes Michigan a surprisingly great place to grow crops!

Michigan is known nationwide for its cherry production. Traverse City even hosts a cherry festival annually! While cherries are on the list of profitable produce, Michigan certainly has a lot more to offer.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) puts out a list annually that describes the most valuable crops in each state of the United States. This can give insight into how various agricultural fields are growing or shrinking. Using their 2022 data, here’s a list of the top ten most valuable crops harvested in Michigan.

10. Squash

Mmm, yummy! This versatile and delicious vegetable grew abundantly in Michigan in 2022, producing $40.2 million worth of squash. Michigan is actually the second-most abundant squash producer in America! The #1 squash-producing state is California, with $44.7 million worth of squash in 2022.

Michigan grows both summer squashes and winter squashes. Pumpkins are their own category in the USDA list, so exclude that from the winter squashes. These versatile veggies can be used to make baked goods, side dishes, and more.

9. Cucumbers

Here’s a little-known fact: Michigan is the second-place producer of cucumbers in the United States! The Great Lakes State produced $52.5 million worth of cucumbers in 2022. Florida is in the first-place spot, producing $94.9 million in cucumbers. The two states are followed by Georgia, North Carolina, and California, which each produce between 24-35 million dollars worth of cucumber.

While Michigan is second in terms of annual production value, Michigan is number one when it comes to growing cucumbers used for pickles. The state produces 236,700 tons of cucumber that turn into millions of dollars of pickles!

8. Cherries

Cherries are Michigan’s best-known produce. However, despite Michigan’s cherry reputation, the state is in fourth place when it comes to annual production value. Michigan produced $58 million worth of cherries in 2022. While that seems like a lot of cherries, get a load of this: Washington, the number one most valuable state for cherries, made $476.4 million worth of cherries last year!

Washington is in first place, with California and Oregon following behind. Washington and California both make hundreds of millions with cherries, while Michigan and Oregon’s numbers resemble one another closely. While Michigan may not be #1 in cherries, they’re still worth a bite if you’re stopping by the Mitten!

7. Blueberries

While Michigan is known for cherries, blueberries are more valuable to the Great Lake State! Michigan is in fifth place when it comes to top blueberry-producing states, creating $82.5 million of value with the berry. Again, Washington and California hold the top two spots, with both states creating about $225 million worth of blueberries.

If you visit Michigan in the summer season, it’s very likely you’ll encounter quite a few “U-Pick” farms. These farms load you up with a bucket or bag and allow you to grab your own blueberries straight from the bushes. There are loads of “U-Picks” around the state, so enjoy the fruits of your labor!

6. Apples

Another extremely lucrative plant for Michigan is the apple. Michigan produced around $213.3 million of apples in 2022! That’s a lot of apples! However, the state landed in third place in this category The number one apple-producing state is Washington. Washington produced $2.2 billion worth of apples in 2022.

Michigan grows a long list of apple varieties, perfect for any apple recipe. Check out the full list of varieties grown in the state here. If you’re looking to eat an apple off the tree, grab a honeycrisp or golden delicious apple! For something more tangy, snag a Jonathon apple, perfect for baking.

5. Potatoes

The United States of America is one of the biggest potato producers in the world. While Michigan produced $230.5 million worth of potatoes in 2022, the state wasn’t even close to the highest producers in the nation! Idaho was number one, producing $1.0 billion in potatoes. That’s a lot of potatoes!

Michigan grows a few different types of potatoes. 75% of the potatoes grown in the state are white potatoes, while the remaining 25% are red skin and russets. White potatoes are the right variety for chip-making, which is a substantial Michigan food industry!

4. Wheat

Wheat is another substantial United States agricultural good. Billions of dollars of wheat are produced in the U.S. annually. Michigan produced $281.2 million worth of wheat in 2022, but the state didn’t rank at all for top producers in the country. The primary producer of wheat in the United States is Kansas, which produced $2.4 billion of the crop last year. North Dakota trailed behind, with $1.8 billion of wheat.

Wheat is primarily grown in the southeast parts of the state, with Huron, Sanilac, Tuscola, Lenawee, and Saginaw serving as the primary counties of production. There are a few types of wheat grown in Michigan with various industrial uses. A lot of wheat in Michigan is sent off to produce cereal, in fact!

3. Hay & Haylage

One of Michigan’s major agricultural products is hay. The state produced $608 million worth of hay in 2022. Hay is an important agricultural crop in the US. In 2022, the country produced 112.8 million tons of it! With such a massive industry at play, Michigan did not even make it to the top five hay-producing states. All five states produced over a billion dollars worth of hay, with Texas producing almost $2 billion!

Hayfields are homes to all sorts of wildlife. Without even mentioning the insects that find solace in the hay, hay can be home to rabbits, deer, and wild turkeys! Hay is an extremely lucrative crop in the American agricultural system. It feeds a lot of the livestock that lives in the states. Michigan’s contribution is large, despite not being in the top five producers.

2. Soybeans

The United States makes a lot of soybeans! The USDA estimated that in 2022, the US exported $34.37 billion worth of soybeans out of the States. America is the second-largest producer of soybeans in the world, with Brazil leading, producing 129.5 million tons of beans in 2021/22.

Michigan produced $1.5 billion worth of soybeans in 2022 but still didn’t rank in the top five in the country. Illinois was the number one producer of soybeans in 2022, creating $8.9 billion worth. Iowa trailed behind at $8.1 billion, and Minnesota, Nebraska, and Indiana all produced around $4.5 billion of the good.

1. Corn

Corn is the most produced crop in the United States as well as Michigan! In 2022, the United States produced 13.7 billion bushels of corn. In terms of value, corn is the most valuable crop in Michigan. The state produces $1.5 billion worth of corn.

However, the US is home to a stretch of land that has been appropriately nicknamed The Corn Belt. Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin make up this stretch of land. Iowa is the top producer of corn in the US, making $13.9 billion worth of the crop in 2022. Illinois trails behind, producing $11.8 billion worth of corn.

Overall, the United States is home to a diverse and eclectic agricultural scene. Michigan plays an important role in the crops produced within the states. Overall, Michigan’s top 10 crops total a massive percentage of the country’s overall market. From cucumbers to corn, Michigan is a big agricultural producer!