Will 2018 see record breaking yields?

Aug 31, 2018

Many counties in Ontario could set new records

On Thursday, August 30, the results of the 3rd Annual Great Ontario Yield Tour were revealed to farmers in attendance at an exclusive invitation only event held at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show in Woodstock, Ontario. The 2018 Great Ontario Yield tour conducted more than 400 counts each on corn and soybean fields, and assessed growing conditions on farms across Ontario from August 13th to 22nd.

The tour experts are predicting record-breaking corn and soybean yields for 2018. According to Greg Stewart, Maizex Seeds, and Moe Agostino, Farms.com Risk Management, 2018 Ontario corn and soybean yields are predicted to set record high yields with corn at 179.5 bpa and soybeans at 50.2 bpa.

Thirteen out of 19 counties scouted in Ontario are likely to have record high yields for corn, and 12 out of 19 counties will set record highs for soybeans.

“On the tour, we could see that the corn and soybean crops are one of the most advanced crops we have ever seen by August 31,” said Stewart.

Stewart also noted that variability is down significantly in 2018, and consistency is up. Some disease pressure is expected in the coming months in some counties with hotspots, Sudden Death Syndrome was observed. He also indicated that he did not think white mold would be a significant issue this year.

While aphids could be found in isolated pockets in the province, Stewart predicted this would not pull down the yields. He indicated that smut could be more prevalent this year, but that western bean cutworm would likely be less of a problem than it has been in the last two years.

Agostino noted that yields are also very high in many of the “Big I” states in the United States. “From a marketing perspective, high yields normally lead to lower prices. Current price action reflects this market sentiment as we seem to have formed a second early harvest ‘low’ in August -- the first low was in July.” Agostino made several recommendations for farmers on what they should do to maximize profits with market prices and basis.

The tour was organized by host sponsors, Alpine, Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, Farms.com, Farms.com Risk Management, Jaquemet Farms, and Maizex Seeds. For more information and to view all of the sponsors, visit https://riskmanagement.farms.com/events/ontario-yield-tour-2018.

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