Corn, soybeans weeks behindAGRICULTURE: The late maturity makes crops vulnerable to an early frost HANK DANISZEWSKI |
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 [ 2009-09-17 ] |
A crop specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, says cool, wet weather in July has placed corn behind in maturity and it still hasn't caught up.
Peter Johnson, a crop specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, said corn and soybeans fell behind in maturity because of cool, wet weather in July and still haven't caught up.
"August was essentially normal and we're off to a good start to September. If we can keep this up into October, we can squeak through," he said.
Johnson said corn is one to three weeks behind, depending on when it was planted.
Soybeans are also at least a week behind and harvest won't likely start until month's end. The harvest for white beans and other edible bean varieties has barely begun.
The late maturity makes all the crops vulnerable to an early frost.
Johnson said hay hasn't had a chance to dry out because of the consistently wet weather. He said the last 10 days have been the first real window of opportunity.
"It's has been a tough year to make hay. Basically, everything is late," he said.
Johnson said there have been some outbreaks of diseases in beans and corn because of the wet weather.
He said almost all areas around London have suffered from too much rain, but there are some dry pockets around Exeter.
Farmers also have been disappointed by a slump in prices over the growing season. He said many farmers are probably wishing they had contracted their crops ahead in the spring when prices were stronger.
Hank Daniszewski is a Free Press business reporter. hank.daniszewski@sunmedia.ca
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