ST. LOUIS, Dec. 18, 2006 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Corn growers combined innovative production techniques with improved seed varieties to achieve top numbers in the National Corn Grower Association (NCGA) 2006 National Corn Yield Contest (NCYC).
"This year we had winners from such non-traditional areas as Idaho and Utah," notes NCGA President Ken McCauley. "That shows that growers can meet the challenge of increasing demand." This year's contest drew 3,157 entrants from 44 states.
The 27 winners in nine production categories had verified yields of more than 240 bushels per acre, compared to the national average of 151.2 bushels per acre. Seven winners posted yields of more than 300 bushels per acre. "Poor weather at harvest time lowered yields from some areas in the Midwest, but that's part of the challenges that all farmers meet," says McCauley. "The biggest benefit of the NCYC is the opportunity to test production techniques and seed hybrids in real-world conditions."
While there is no overall winner in the NCYC, yields of farmers who placed first, second and third in their production categories ranged from 240.9675 by Tanner Farms of Union City, Tenn., to 347.2698 from Kip Cullers of Purdy, Mo.
The national and state NCYC winners will be honored at the 2007 Commodity Classic, the combined convention and trade show of NCGA, the American Soybean Association and the National Wheat Growers Association, March 1-3 in Tampa, Fla. Contest winners will also be featured in a special edition of Farm Journal magazine. This year's guide is sponsored by BASF, Bayer CropScience and Deere & Company.
For more information and a complete list of state and national winners, visit www.ncga.com. Following are the 27 national winners by class:
Legend for Winners: Winner Name Winner Home City, State Where Field Is Located, Home State Hybrid Brand and Number Yield Note: Class AA categories include the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin. Class A categories include all other states. A NON-IRRIGATED CLASS Francis Childs Falls City, NE, IA Pioneer, 31G68 294.4882 Bushels Per Acre Seven Springs Farms Cadiz, KY, KY Pioneer, 33M53 277.7896 Bushels Per Acre Seven Springs Farms Cadiz, KY, KY Pioneer, 33M53 272.9541 Bushels Per Acre AA NON-IRRIGATED Mez-Farm Bagley, WI, WI DEKALB, DKC61-68 297.1261 Bushels Per Acre Jeff Mezera Bagley, WI, WI Pioneer, 34N42 284.7497 Bushels Per Acre Leland A. Esser Glen Haven, WI, WI Pioneer, 34A16 274.3804 Bushels Per Acre A NO TILL/STRIP TILL NON-IRRIGATED Tim Bishop Queenstown, MD, MD Campbell, 7700R2 279.1529 Bushels Per Acre Schwenke Bros. Union, KY, KY Pioneer, 31N28 274.0433 Bushels Per Acre J & D Doub Farms East Bend, NC, NC Pioneer, 31N28 268.9535 Bushels Per Acre AA NO TILL/STRIP TILL NON-IRRIGATED Mezera Farms 1 Bagley, WI, WI Pioneer, 34N42 295.9499 Bushels Per Acre Mezera Farms Bagley, WI, WI Pioneer, 34A16 282.2462 Bushels Per Acre M & B Farms Scott City, MO, MO Pioneer, 31N28 269.958 Bushels Per Acre NO TILL/STRIP TILL IRRIGATED Kip Cullers Purdy, MO, MO Pioneer, 31N28 347.2698 Bushels Per Acre Kip Cullers Purdy, MO, MO Pioneer, 31P41 338.238 Bushels Per Acre Buckley Farms Dimmitt, TX, TX Pioneer, 33B51 311.0258 Bushels Per Acre A RIDGE TILL NON-IRRIGATED Blane Anthony Talmage, NE, NE Pioneer, 33R78 250.7857 Bushels Per Acre Flaggy Run Farms LLC Courtland, VA, VA Garst, 8292YG1 248.7075 Bushels Per Acre Tanner Farms Union City, TN, TN Pioneer, 31N28 240.9675 Bushels Per Acre AA RIDGE TILL NON-IRRIGATED Jerry Cox Delta, MO, MO Pioneer, 31N28 270.2015 Bushels Per Acre Glenda H. Hinkebein Chaffee, MO, MO Pioneer, 33M54 266.8732 Bushels Per Acre Matthew Cox Scott City, MO, MO Pioneer, 31D58 265.1614 Bushels Per Acre RIDGE TILL IRRIGATED Steven Albracht Hart, TX, TX Pioneer, 33B51 319.7617 Bushels Per Acre Kip Cullers Purdy, MO, MO Pioneer, 33N59 297.711 Bushels Per Acre Charles W. Hinkebein Chaffee, MO, MO Asgrow, RX785RR2/YGCB 286.8392 Bushels Per Acre IRRIGATED K-K Farms #2 Purdy, MO, MO Pioneer, 32B29 332.7733 Bushels Per Acre Bernard Nelson Tremonton, UT, UT Pioneer, 34A15 303.0739 Bushels Per Acre Kevin J. Weilmunster Parma, ID, ID Pioneer, 34N43 300.3791 Bushels Per Acre
The National Corn Growers Association's mission is to create and increase opportunities for corn growers. NCGA represents more than 32,000 members and 46 affiliated state organizations and hundreds of thousands of growers who contribute to state checkoff programs. For more information on NCGA, log on to www.ncga.com.