BlackburnNews.com file photo by Simon Crouch BlackburnNews.com file photo by Simon Crouch
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Prediction: Record Ontario Winter Wheat Provincial Average Yield

Agronomist Peter Johnson expects this year's provincial winter wheat average yield to set a new record.

He's predicting that yield will break 90 bushels an acre, compared to the current record of 85 point 5.

Johnson says a number of factors combined to give us what he's calling an absolutely amazing winter wheat crop.

He points out the crop got planted early last fall, we had a dry and mild winter, and we got cool temperatures in April and May.

Johnson says all those things helped boost the yield.

And he suggests it could have been even higher if growers had received another inch or two of rain in the spring.

"In many cases, growers are at 130 plus bushels per acre on almost no rainfall in the spring. If ever we would have gotten another inch or two of rainfall in June we might have been talking about 160-170 bushels of yields instead of just 130. It's just incredible."

Johnson also credits provincial growers who he says are doing an amazing job of managing the Ontario winter wheat crop.

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Johnson admits there are parts of the province, such as the Niagara Peninsula and eastern Ontario, which are reporting about average yields.

[audio mp3="http://blackburnnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/JOHNSON-Yield-1.mp3"][/audio]

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He says the mild, dry winter and the cool temperatures of April and May combined to help boost provincial yields.

[audio mp3="http://blackburnnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/JOHNSON-Yield-2.mp3"][/audio]

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Johnson is expecting the provincial average yield to break 90 bushels an acre, compared to the current record of 85 point 5 bushels an acre.

[audio mp3="http://blackburnnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/JOHNSON-Yield-3.mp3"][/audio]

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