New statewide yield record set in 2020 contest

Farmers across Kansas completed the 2020 soybean growing season with a timely harvest and record yields.

“The Kansas Soybean Yield and Value Contests, funded by the Kansas Soybean Commission and administered by the Kansas Soybean Association, give Kansas farmers an opportunity for friendly competition,” says Sarah Lancaster, chair of the Kansas Soybean Association contest committee. “It recognizes those who achieve high yield, as well as those who produce soybeans with high protein and oil content.”

Sam Miller from Haven led the statewide irrigated division with 114.3 bushels per acre. P&J Farms, Hiawatha, topped the dryland division with 96.7 bushels per acre. Brooks Farm of Clayton submitted the highest value soybeans at a 99-cent premium over the cash value.

In southeast Kansas, Rod Watson of Cherokee County won the conventional-till dryland division with 79.9 bushels per acre. Timmons Bros Farms LLC of Wilson County earned second with 70.2 bushels per acre. Dennis Hill of Butler County had the winning entry in the no-till dryland division with 41.4 bushels per acre.

In east central Kansas, Mike and Jarah Hauger of Osage County entered the winning yield of 53.5 bushels per acre in the conventional-till dryland division. In the no-till dryland division, Brandon Litch of Osage County won with 79.5 bushels per acre. Second place went to Ryan Louia of Coffey County with 73.7 bushels per acre. Parker Meats of Coffey County took third with 70.1 bushels per acre.

In north central Kansas, the conventional-till dryland top award goes to Ryan Stewart of Washington County with 77.7 bushels per acre. Rod Stewart of Washington County earned second with 76.9 bushels per acre. Gregg Sexton of Dickinson County won the no-till dryland division with 76.9 bushels per acre. Adelbert Stewart of Washington County placed second with 76.3 bushels per acre. Third place goes to Lee Pifer of Washington County with 57.9 bushels per acre.

In northeast Kansas’ conventional-till dryland division, Wilson Family Farms of Atchison County submitted the winning entry of 83.1 bushels per acre. The northeast no-till dryland top award goes to Dan Bigham of Jefferson County with 76.1 bushels per acre. Rod Bigham of Jefferson County placed second with 72.6 bushels per acre. Paul Kaeb of Nemaha County placed third with 70.1 bushels per acre.

In the north-northeast corner of the state, HBJ Farms of Doniphan County received first place in the conventional-till dryland division with 93 bushels per acre. Henry Farms Inc of Brown County placed second with 83.1 bushels per acre. In the no-till dryland division Olson Family Farms of Brown County took second after P&J Farms with 87.4 bushels per acre.

Prairie Farms G.P. of Meade County took second behind Sam Miller in the statewide conventional-till irrigated division with 102.3 bushels per acre. Vering Land and Pork Inc placed third with 92.7 bushels per acre.

Love and Love Farms of Gray County earned top honors in the statewide no-till irrigated division with 97.3 bushels per acre. Grimm Farms Inc of Brown County placed second with 95.3 bushels. Tying for third in this division is Grimm Bros of Brown County, 93.1 bushels per acre and Tony Spexarth of Sedgwick County, 92.7 bushels per acre. 

Brooks Farm of Norton County won first in the value contest with a 99.87 cent premium. Dale Longenecker of Dickinson County placed second with a value of 95.79 cents over cash value. Scott Kennedy of Sheridan County placed third with a value of 95.16 cents above cash value.

Winner recognition was streamed on the Kansas Soybean Facebook page Jan. 6. 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 practices used by winning farmers are made available to all Kansas soybean farmers for the benefit of our state’s agricultural industry,” Lancaster says.