A Pierre area grower has been honored through the 2019 National Corn Yield Contest.
The National Corn Growers Association sponsored competition recognizes farmers from across the country for their efforts and exceptional results.
Jim Sheehan placed 1st in the state in the G: No-Till Irrigated Class with a yield of 168.3880 bushels per acre.
Sheehan was one of 531 state winners nationwide. The 2019 contest participation included 7,454 entries from 46 states. Of the state winners, 27 growers – three from each of nine classes – were named national winners, representing 12 states.
The average yield among national winners was more than 383 bushels per acre – greater than the projected 2019 U.S. average of 168.0 bushels per acre. While there is no overall contest winner, yields from first, second and third place farmers overall production categories topped out at 616.1953 bushels per acre.
Farmers are encouraged through the contest to use new, efficient production techniques. Agronomic data gleaned from the contest reveals the following:
- Average planting population for the national winners was 39,009 seeds per acre, compared to 33,785 for all entrants.
- National winners applied an average of 323.6666 pounds of nitrogen, 102.4814 pounds of phosphorus and 210.9259 pounds of potassium per acre.
- Average commercial nitrogen use per bushel of yield was 0.89 pounds for the national winners and 0.87 pounds for all entrants.
- 33% of the national winners applied trace minerals, compared to 8.8% of all entrants.
- 40% of national winners applied manure, compared to 7% of all entrants.
The National Corn Yield Contest began in 1965 with 20 entries from 3 states. At that time, the highest overall yield was 218.9 bushels per acre, while the national yield average was in the mid-60 bushel-per acre range.