Growing, harvesting season marked by large variations between fields, regions

The one thing that will mark this year's growing and harvesting season will be large variations from field to field and region to region.

"Some farmers will have not the same yields as last year but still significant yields, but other fields that were either planted late or because soil was compacted, those farmers suffered a bit more than previous years," said Gilles Quesnel, field crops specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

He explained while normal corn yields might reach four or five tonnes per acre, this year's figures for dry or grain corn were anywhere between two and 4.5 tonnes.

"Those are the swings that farmers are seeing," Quesnel said. "It was so dry that any small difference in water holding capacity for the soil and any additional rainfall that growers got will make a huge difference in the yield. Farmers will find some large differences, even between fields on the same farm."

In regard to silage, he said corn has matured a little faster this year because of the dry heat conditions, in comparison to what would have been expected based on growers' planting dates. On the plus side, there will be plenty of time to harvest in advance of the killing frost.

"So anyone making silage, the early-planted corn is getting very close to being harvested for silage," he explained. "It's a bit more advanced than we would've expected, and it's the heat that pushed it forward."

Quesnel specified that growers have largely been concerned about corn and soybeans, but aside from a few fields that were particularly dry, he noted "most of the corn pollinated properly and the same with the soybean crop."

"Seed set appears to be close to average, maybe slightly below average," he continued. "Compared to last year, we know yields will certainly be lower but for both, I think growers are expected to see close to average yields."

Farmers were generally pleased with cereal harvest yields, namely wheat and barley, which were "more or less average, but a lot had expected below-average yields."

"The quality was mostly good," Quesnel said. "This year, a large percentage of the crop went for milling so they could get the premium. That was a pleasant surprise; no yield records were broken, but it was nice to get the crop off. There's still a small amount of wheat on the fields - it's been sort of wet for the last week - so there's a small acreage that's out there."

The crops specialist confirmed that a number of growers are indicating that hay supply is tight. However, the hay that has been stored is "by and large of excellent quality."

"They'll probably have enough, but they're hoping for a last cut in late September or early October," he noted. "And with the moisture that we have, we should be able. They'll have to make up for it with corn silage, and we have access to that. For the rations, they may have to rebalance it a bit. Everybody is saying that they certainly don't have any extra."

Quesnel said it's difficult to determine at this point how the quantity of hay this season has affected the market, but said the supply is "putting added pressure on the price."

"On the plus side, the quality is very good," he concluded. "The cattle will eat more and there's less of it, but it bodes well for livestock production and milking. There's no question that yields were lost because of less moisture in June and July, but it's better late than never."