Big soybean and corn crop predicted for Ontario

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Rewind to a cold, cold April and there were likely more than a few who were a little concerned about the yield potential for corn and soybeans in Ontario for 2020.

But a recent crop tour looking at estimating the crop has put the soybean crop at — possibly — record levels.

Pegged at an average of 53. 2 bu/ac, this soybean crop would make a record just two years after the last record. RealAgriculture’s resident Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson asks the question that is on all of our minds: will we quite make it? Johnson notes that planting brought on decent conditions and in a normal time frame, which definitely helps.

The bean crop looks pretty solid, for sure, but in the drier areas, such as the Niagara area, Paris area, there’s a fair few soybeans through there and numbers were not as low as anticipated, which shows just how resilient this crop can be. Even in the east that was also dry, where winter wheat and spring cereals delivered only half or a little better in yield, average yield could hit the mid-60s.

It really speaks to the genetic potential of what we have out there, Johnson says. Genetics plus management can definitely push yield.

Corn yield is looking bigger than anticipated, too. Perhaps second-biggest crop on record. How did we get here? Similar idea to soybeans. Even with perhaps slightly fewer plants and some variability and some lower cob numbers, this crop is moving towards big yields.

This crop could be hitting the black layer around September 20, and we’re expecting big kernels, that’s going to contribute to yield!

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