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Better Farming
January 2017
DOUBLE
CROPPING
SOYBEANS
E
ric Deitrich, a farmer outside
Lucan, was determined that
2016 was the year to finally try
to double crop soybeans. Conditions
looked good, and the thought of
profiting from another crop in
addition to his winter wheat was too
good to resist.
“Our planting equipment is not
doing anything at that time of year,”
says Deitrich. We wanted to “try and
get a bigger return – extra acres –
through our equipment.”
Deitrich says the season started
successfully after he harvested an
average of 33.5 bushels per acre (bu/
ac). (Depending on input costs,
farmers should see profits on yields
over 15 bu/ac, according to some
industry representatives.) Deitrich is
already planning which fields to
double crop next year.
Over recent years, there has been
increased interest in double cropping
soybeans, says Horst Bohner, a
soybean specialist with Ontario’s
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and
Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). “Farmers
are getting good at it,” he says.
But Bohner stresses that the most
plentiful yields are the result of many
factors – including soil conditions
and farmer attitude – falling into
place. Double crop soybeans require a
high level of commitment and a keen
knowledge of crop requirements.
Double crop soybean “yields (from
the 2016) season were very favourable
– 30 to 40 bushels an acre,” says
Bohner. “It has been a huge opportu-
nity for some growers.”
Planting date
The date that the crop goes into the
ground is one of the most important
factors that influences the yield. Some
of the most successful double crop
soybean growers pay the strictest
attention to planting details, says
Bohner.
“We’ve come a long way (yield-
wise) with aggressive growers who are
putting in the extra effort to seed as
soon as possible,” he says.
July 15 is a common cut-off date
for planting. “Once you get past
mid-July, it’s too late. We see at least
one bushel lost per acre for every day
planting is delayed,” says Bohner.
For Ian Matheson, a farmer from
Embro, the ability to plant early was
an incentive when he first tried
double cropping soybeans. He grew
winter barley for his hog operation
and had early harvest dates.
After the barley harvest, the empty
fields “seemed like a waste sitting
idle,” says Matheson. “We were
harvesting not much later than other
producers planting full-season
soybeans.”
Monitoring your winter cereal’s
Double cropping soybeans: risk vs. reward
An aggressive approach to crop management, paired with a suitable growing season, could be the key
to raising a successful double crop of soybeans.
by JENNIFER JACKSON
Short season varieties have allowed some farmers to harvest their
double crop soybeans before their full season soybeans.