58 Better Farming | November 2024 Follow us on @BetterFarmingON It caused some very delayed planting and delayed development. Southwestern Ontario had many fields that were severely impacted by too much moisture. For the province as a whole, moisture was above average for most regions but not all. Crop heat units were above the 30-year normal for almost all locations. The foremost observation from the tour was that this year, the soybean crop was outperforming the corn crop, although initially it did seem as though corn would be the “leader.” The soybean pods per plant and plant population were record high this year. In the U.S. Midwest as well, annual crop tours in the latter part of August found a record soybean crop that was outdoing a record corn crop. The Ontario average corn plant population is record high this year but the ear length and kernels around are lower versus last year. When compared to last year’s record yield situation – when the tour found corn yield estimates in individual fields that were above 250 bpa and reaching above 280 bpa in some fields – this year it was lower and in the 220+ bpa to 250 bpa range mostly. The “wow” factor from last year was missing. There was variability in the fields due to delayed planting. For some fields that were planted after mid-June, the corn was just tasseling when scouts were conducting the tour. No major disease pressure was noted in this year’s corn and soybean crops in Ontario. There was a touch of white mould in soybeans but much less than last year. Some tar spot was observed in corn in Southwestern Ontario, and western bean cutworm in Central and Eastern Ontario. More tip back was observed in corn this year than last year, likely due to moisture stress. The final yield results of the tour showed a record average soybean yield this year in the province at 54.12 bpa (with a range of 53.03 to 55.2 bpa) and a third best in recent history corn yield at 194.75 bpa (with a range of 192.8 to 196.69 bpa). Among last year’s record-breaking corn yield counties, only Niagara broke that record this year and may be the “garden spot” this year. But among last year’s record-breaking soybean yield counties, Haldimand-Norfolk, Oxford, Ottawa, and Stormont Dundas and Glengarry broke the record this year. It looks to be another big Ontario corn and even bigger soybean crop year, which just adds to the North American (and global) supply surplus, especially in soybeans. And big crop supplies normally weigh on prices. BF agcareers@agcareers.com 800.929.8975 www.agcareers.com AgCareers.com Moe’s Market Minute MOE AGOSTINO & ABHINESH GOPAL Maurizio (“Moe”) is chief commodity strategist with Farms.com Risk Management and Abhinesh is head of commodity research.
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