A recently concluded crop tour is projecting Ontario corn and soybean yields above Statistics Canada’s model-based estimates released late last month.
The 15th Annual Great Lakes Grain Crop Assessment Tour – which covered over 800 fields between Aug. 26 and Sept. 6 - pegged this year’s average Ontario corn yield at 193.5 bu/acre, well above the StatsCan estimate of 180.1 bu but still below the 2023 tour average of 199.9 bu. For soybeans, the 2024 tour put the average provincial yield at 52.8 bu, versus the StatsCan average of 51.1 bu and last year’s tour average of 48.6 bu.
The tour’s highest average corn yield was in Perth County at 208.9 bu/acre, with Huron County topping the soybean parade at 60.6 bu. At the other opposite end of the spectrum, Oxford County brought up the rear with an average corn yield of 109.3 bu, and Middlesex with an average soybean yield of 45 bu. (See table below for all county corn and soybean yield estimates).
The tour findings noted a ‘promising’ outlook for the Ontario corn crop, despite this year’s challenging spring planting and heavy rainfall throughout the growing season. However, a wide-open September will still be needed to get the crop to maturity, the tour cautioned.
Meanwhile, soybean fields presented more variability in yields. As with corn, farmers faced challenging field conditions due to persistent rains during the planting season. Some observations in this year’s bean crop included root rot, sudden death syndrome, and white mold. However, the outlook also remains positive for many fields, the tour said.
The Aug. 28 StatsCan yield estimates were based satellite imagery and agroclimatic data, and reflected conditions as of the end of July. StatsCan’s next model-based estimates, to be released Sept. 16, will reflect conditions as of the end of August.
