January 23, 2009

Ohio's 2008 soy crop was one of the worst for growers in several years, with yields falling below 40 bushels per acre for the first time since 2003.

According to the USDA November Crop Production Report, soy yields tapped out at 36 bushels per acre, nine bushels lower than in 2007 and the worst production year since 2002 when yields averaged 32 bushels per acre.

Growers harvested nearly 4.5 million acres, up 300,000 acres from 2007, but production was down 38,000 bushels.

Ohio State University Extension agronomist, Jim Beuerlein said weather is to blame for the poor soy season.

Ohio experienced extreme flooding in late June and a drought in August and September.

Beuerlein said the weather affected results of the Ohio Soybean Performance Trials, an OSU Extension variety evaluation that measures crop performance.

The trials are designed to aid growers in choosing the best-performing, highest-yielding varieties for the following season.

He said of the six locations that were evaluated, yields were down anywhere from 20 to 40 bushels an acre due to the flooding and the drought.

He estimates that Ohio growers lost nearly US$300 million in 2008 due to the problems the crop faced throughout the season.

He added that growers made good money in 2007 and were able to buy new equipment or replace worn equipment, but they are not going to be able to do that this year as a result of 2008.