New yield predictions for Ont. corn and soybeans

While soybean yields will be below the five-year average, corn yields should be better.

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Despite a delayed and difficult start to the growing season, Ontario producers can expect strong corn yields.

That prediction is thanks to the Great Ontario Yield Tour team, which announced the results of its research on Aug. 29, during the Western Final Event at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show.

The team anticipates the province’s average corn yield will be 173.2 bushels per acres (bu/ac) and soybeans will be 43.6 bu/ac.

Not surprisingly, both figures are down from 2018’s record-high yields. However, the team estimates that corn yields will be above the OMAFRA (Statistics Canada) five-year average average high of 164.6 bu/ac.

The team’s predictions for soybeans are less optimistic, as it anticipates the soybean yield will be below the five-year average of 46.8 bu/ac.

“Farmers in Ontario know that we are two to three weeks behind normal maturity levels this year, and that farmers gave up 15 to 20 days of growth,” says Greg Stewart, the agronomy lead at Maizex Seeds.  “We are surprised, however, with how high the corn yield looks. There are strong rows on the corn, which can be attributed to a stress-free June.”

The weather over the coming weeks may help the crop, Stewart said at the Woodstock, Ont. event. 

The two-week predictions for Southwestern Ontario around London, as well as the 90-day predictions for Ontario from Environment Canada, are anticipating above-average temperatures. Temperatures will only drop below 12 C (53.6 F) tonight.

“The weather forecast, combined with the fact that there is very little disease pressure and very little DON or VOM, compared to 2018, means farmers could see a strong finish to the growing season,” says Maurizio Agostino, Farms.com Risk Management’s chief commodity strategist. 

The Great Ontario Yield Tour team’s yield predictions for many counties across Ontario are detailed below.

Host sponsors and organizers of the Great Ontario Yield Tour include Alpine, Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, Jaquemet Farms, Maizex Seeds, as well as Farms.com and Farms.com Risk Management.

The fourth annual Great Ontario Yield Tour took place from Aug. 12 to 26.