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.
More

Complete list of national winners: http://www.ncga.com/CYC/Winners/national.asp