A major private sector field crops tour across Ontario has wrapped up its eighth-annual yield assessment for the corn and soybean crops. The tour started in eastern Ontario near the Quebec border on August 14th and wrapped up on August 25 in southwestern Ontario at the Michigan border. Farms.com has released its yield estimates for the province’s two major field crops.

The chief commodity strategist with the risk management division for Farms.com is forecasting Ontario yields for both corn and soybeans to nudge aside records for those crops set two years ago. This year’s volumes should be significantly larger, as the corn and soybean planted acreage totals are slightly smaller due to displacement by record winter wheat acreage harvested this summer.

Moe Agostino, who heads up the annual crop tour, says they did find some pockets of insect and disease pressure, but his main concern is developmental delay. Agostino says maturity is the only issue holding back Ontario from breaking its 2021 record of 200 bushels per acre.

“The only problem with the corn crop is maturity. There’s some western bean cut-worm, there’s a little bit of tar spot here and there, but nothing to worry about. Maturity’s an issue. We need all of September to finish this crop. The forecast looks good ten, fifteen days out, looks dry, looks warm. That’s what you need. The last record in corn in Ontario was 200 bushels per acre. This year, similar trend. In fact, it’s a record. We’re announcing a record corn yield of 203.”

Looking at Ontario’s soybean crop and yield estimates, Agostino found more variability across the province, and his main concern with this crop involves white mold. But Agostino is still bullish in his yield estimate.

“Soybeans have a little bit more variability. They, unfortunately, do have some disease, called white mold. So, it could be a drag on the beans, but I think the good out-weighs the bad. The record in beans was 53. We’re still saying it’s a record crop, 53 point 5. We still got to get that pod-fill, but I think with the weather outlook it looks good.”