Farmers across parts of Southwestern Ontario are replanting some soybeans after a weekend frost killed emerging seedlings across patches of the region.

They include a field planted three weeks ago by the Mathesons, who farm in northern Oxford County and who lost one soybean field when temperatures dropped below -2 C Saturday morning.

“That’s a 50-acre field and it’s toast,” said farmer Amy Matheson.

But the frost damage was spotty. “Fifty acres is 50 acres, so that’s not a little loss, but I find it interesting that the 100-acre field near our home is just fine.”

Most farmers were able to get on the fields earlier this spring than in the previous two years, when wet and cold weather meant some were still planting by June.

This spring, though, the weather has been mild and dry and ideal for planting corn and soybeans — the two biggest crops in the region’s massive farm economy.

“There were an awful lot of guys finished everything by the 15th of May . . . and that was the earliest they ever got all that planted,” said Peter Johnson, an independent agronomist and field crops specialist.

They were hoping for much-needed rain last weekend. Instead, a widespread frost hit, just as green emerged from the ground.

Many fields that had long lines of green corn shoots turned brown within hours. But corn, more resilient, will likely fare better than beans in frost-hit areas.

“We’re pretty sure that (green) will push up through that dead tissue and 95% of that corn will be OK,” Johnson said.

Some fields in Southwestern Ontario “look perfectly fine” and others nearby look terrible, said Mike Cowbrough, with the field crops unit of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

One saving grace is that it’s early enough in the year that there’s time to replant and produce a decent crop, Cowbrough said.

“We’re still in May so it could be worse.”

Cash crops are a huge business in the region — not only the number of farmers but also including seed breeders, equipment-makers, fertilizer suppliers and truckers — with corn futures trading at about $3.80 a bushel, soybeans in the high-$9 range and winter wheat at more than $5 a bushel. When at harvest time that grows into millions of bushels for each crop, even a small loss or gain in yield can translate into a big impact when sold.

deb.vanbrenk@sunmedia.ca