CHATHAM — Ontario farmers have enjoyed increasing corn yields for five straight years. But that streak is at risk because of a drier-than-normal summer, predicts Great Lakes Grain after its annual crop assessment tour of Western Ontario.
Great Lakes Grain, a grain marketing co-op headquartered in Chatham, estimates Ontario corn yields at 153.3 bushels per acre and will range from 32 to 241 bu/ac.
The co-op predicts soybeans at 47.6 bu/ac, which would be the crop’s highest yield since 48.3 bu/ac in 2012.
Last year’s Ontario corn average was 170.6 bu/ac and the soybean average was 45.5 bu/ac. The five-year corn average is 159.3 bu/ac and the five-year soybean average is 45.5 bu/ac.
Great Lakes Grain predicts Elgin County to have the highest average corn yield at 171.3 bu/ac, and Middlesex County to be tops in soybeans at 57.2 bu/ac. Wellington will be lowest in both corn and soybean yields at 139.2 bu/ac and 42.6 bu/ac respectively.
Statistics Canada’s Ontario yield estimates aren’t looking as bleak as they were a month earlier.
A Sept. 20 model-based principal field crop estimates report says corn yields will average 165 bu/ac and soybeans will average 44.1 bu/ac. That is significantly higher than an Aug. 23 production of principal field crops report that estimated Ontario corn yields at 153.5 bu/ac and soybean yields at 41.6 bu/ac.
