The best farming practices and wisely selected seedstock varieties combined with favorable growing conditions to help Kansas farmers achieve high soybean yields and value in 2014.
“The annual Kansas Soybean Yield and Value Contests recognize outstanding Kansas farmers and provide fun incentives for them to improve,” said Doug Shoup, Ph.D., Chanute, K-State Research and Extension southeast area agronomist, who began coordinating the contests this year. “They also allow the Kansas Soybean Association, with checkoff funding from the Kansas Soybean Commission, to share what participants learned to benefit all Kansas soybean farmers.”
The yield contest included 33 entries, down four from 2013. The 24 winners in 12 categories had verified yields averaging 74.89 bushels per acre, compared to the reported state average of 36 bushels per acre in 2014. The contest winners’ average decreased by 0.72 bushel per acre, while the state average increased 1 bushel per acre from 2013.
The value contest had 19 entries, five fewer than in the previous year. For their protein and oil contents, the top three entries averaged $1.52 (15.0 percent) in increased value over the $10.18 base cash price. In 2013, that average was $0.93 (7.1 percent) above a $13.05 cash price.
Bob Wietharn, Clay Center, topped the irrigated division with a no-till entry that made 99.81 bushels per acre. Meredith Jeschke, Highland, led the dryland division with a no-till entry of 84.30 bushels per acre. Harold Koster, Hoxie, won the value contest with $1.56 per bushel of increased value (15.3 percent over the cash price).
The Kansas Soybean Association presented the state and district winners with plaques or certificates and monetary prizes from the Kansas Soybean Commission at the Kansas Soybean Expo, Jan. 7 in Topeka. The highest dryland and irrigated yields in the state each received a $1,000 award. In each district, first place won $300, second earned $200, and third received $100. The No-till on the Plains organization supplied additional prizes for the no-till categories.
Complete results and award photos are available here.
