Kansas Ag Connection - Soybean 100-Bushel Club Has First Member

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Soybean 100-Bushel Club Has First Member
Kansas Ag Connection - 01/15/2018

The best farming practices, wisely selected varieties and favorable growing conditions helped Kansas farmers produce high-yielding, valuable soybeans in 2017.

"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., Parsons, K-State Research and Extension Southeast Area agronomist, who is completing his fourth year as the contests coordinator. "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 40 entries, down 12 from 2016. The 26 winners in 13 categories had verified yields averaging 78.11 bushels per acre, compared to the reported state average of 40 bushels per acre in 2017. The contest winners' average decreased by 2.9 bushels per acre, while the state average decreased 8 bushels per acre from 2016.

The value contest had 31 entries, nine more than in the previous year. For their protein and oil contents, the top three entries averaged 93.8 cents (10 percent) in increased value over the $9.18 base cash price. In 2016, that average was 77.6 cents (8 percent) above a $9.68 cash price.

The only award winner from northwestern Kansas, Meier Farms, Rexford, topped the statewide irrigated division with a conventional-tillage entry that made 100.67 bushels per acre - the first entry ever to document more than 100 bushels. Kenny Wilson, Horton, led the dryland division with a conventional-tillage entry of 93.34 bushels per acre. Brandon Geiger, Denton, won the value contest with 97.8 cents per bushel of increased value (10.7 percent over the cash price).

In north-northeastern Kansas, Nancy Babcock, Hiawatha, and Ryan Patton, Sabetha, won the district conventional-tillage, dryland competition with 90.99 bushels per acre. Geiger (Denton) placed second with 83.92 bushels per acre. Henry Farms Inc., Robinson, placed third with 82.72 bushels per acre. Michael Oltjen, Robinson, won the district no-till, dryland competition with 84.69 bushels per acre. RST Farms, Highland, placed second with 82.87 bushels per acre. Precision Farms, Hiawatha, won the statewide no-till, irrigated competition with 96.77 bushels per acre.

From northeastern Kansas, Wilson (Horton) repeated as the district conventional-tillage, dryland winner. William (Alex) Noll, Winchester, placed second with 79.02 bushels per acre. Mike and LaTona Eiberger, Holton, placed third with 73.89 bushels per acre. Derek Gigstad, Valley Falls, won the district no-till, dryland competition with 85.24 bushels per acre. Summit Farms, Morrill, placed second with 74.36 bushels per acre. Craig Gigstad, Valley Falls, placed third in the statewide conventional-tillage, irrigated competition with 91.18 bushels per acre. Chris Bodenhausen, Muscotah, placed second in the statewide no-till, irrigated competition with 91.42 bushels per acre.

In north-central Kansas, Ryan Stewart, Washington, won the district conventional-tillage, dryland competition with 61.15 bushels per acre. Curtis Kohman, Solomon, won the district no-till, dryland competition with 68.71 bushels per acre. Gregg Sexton, Abilene, placed second with 61.30 bushels per acre. Lee Pifer, Washington, placed third with 49.66 bushels per acre.

In east-central Kansas, Meats Farms and Ryan Louia, LeRoy, won the district conventional-tillage, dryland competition with 77.51 bushels per acre.

In southeastern Kansas, Chester Hobbs, Buffalo, won the district conventional-tillage, dryland competition with 74.58 bushels per acre. Bob Timmons of Timmons Bros. Farms, Fredonia, placed second with 73.70 bushels per acre. Roger Draeger, Galena, placed third with 65.85 bushels per acre. Bradley and Emily McVey, Fredonia, won the district no-till, dryland competition with 74.48 bushels per acre.

From south-central Kansas, Seiler Farms, Colwich, won the district conventional-tillage, dryland competition with 58.53 bushels per acre. Dennis Hill, Benton, won the district no-till, dryland competition with 49.58 bushels per acre. David Stroberg and Scott Stroberg, Hutchinson, placed second in the statewide conventional-tillage, irrigated competition with 91.57 bushels per acre. Jared Oatney of Oatney Farms, Partridge, placed third in the statewide no-till, irrigated competition with 86.98 bushels per acre. Chad Romine, Great Bend, placed second in the Kansas Soybean Value Contest with 93.3 cents per bushel (10.2 percent) of increased value. Valerie Romine, Great Bend, placed third in the Kansas Soybean Value Contest with 90.2 cents per bushel (9.8 percent) of increased value.

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. 10 in Topeka. In each district, first place won $300, second earned $200, and third received $100. The highest dryland and irrigated yields in the state each received a $1,000 award, and Meier Farms (Rexford) got another $1,000 bonus for surpassing 100 bushels per acre.

Complete results and award photos will be available via http://KansasSoybeans.org/contests on the web by Jan. 18.

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