Delaware Soybean Board Congratulates 2020 Yield Contest Winners
Through a virtual soybean school, hosted today by University of Delaware Extension Cooperative Extension, the Delaware Soybean Board recognized winners of the 2020 Soybean Yield Contest. Roger Swartzentruber of Sussex County took top honors in the contest with 79.70 bushels per acre of full season soybeans in the newly added Dryland category. He achieved this yield using Channel3718 seed planted on April 22, 2020.
Other statewide winners were Jay Baxter of Sussex County in the Full Season category, and Tim Rogers of Sussex County in the Double Crop category. Baxter grew 78.78 bushels per acre using B4139E seed planted on May 14. Rogers grew 69.28 bushels per acre using P48 seed planted on July 3 following wheat. Each statewide winner received $1,000 in prize money.
County winners for full season soybeans included Kristi Malin of Sussex County with 73.68 bushels per acre, Fred Stites of Kent County with 71.80 bushels per acre, and Robbie Emerson of New Castle County with 56.38 bushels per acre. Winners at the county level for double crop soybeans were Mel Wyatt of Kent County with 67.03 bushels per acre and Joe Calhoun of Sussex County with 51.28 bushels per acre. There were no double crop entries from New Castle County. County winners were awarded $250 each.
“We were pleased to see another high-yielding crop of soybeans in 2020,” boasted DSB Chair Cory Atkins. “While weather at harvest did present a challenge, we appreciate the farmers who took the time to complete yield checks so that we could collect and share production information.”
The Contest, established in 2012, aims to assist in discovering varieties and management choices that work for soybean growers in Delaware. The goal of the Delaware Soybean Yield Contest is to gather data on practices incorporated in producing high soybean yields while recognizing the individuals who have achieved such yields. Over the past eight years, the contest has received over 125 entries and continues to grow each year, with farmers showcasing their ability to achieve record-yields in both full season and double-cropped soybeans.
“We are looking forward to our 2021 contest, where we hope to be able to complete more yield checks than ever with the purchase of our weigh wagon. Thank you to Mountaire, Pioneer, Allen Chorman & Son Inc, Delaware Department of Agriculture, Hubner Seed, Mid Atlantic Farm Credit, Willard Agri-Service, King Crop Insurance, Nutrien Ag Solutions, Walls Irrigation, and Taylor & Messick for making this purchase possible,” Atkins commented.
Full contest information and results summary can be found on the DSB website at https://desoybeans.org/yield-contest/.
Delaware farmers plant about 160,000 acres of soybeans annually, producing over seven million bushels of beans and generating approximately $60 million in value to the state. The Delaware Soybean Board consists of nine farmer-directors and the Secretary of Agriculture. Funded through a one-half of one percent assessment on the net market value of soybeans at their first point of sale, the checkoff works with partners in the value chain to identify and capture opportunities that increase farmer profit potential.
2020 SOYBEAN YIELD CONTEST WINNERS
STATEWIDE WINNERS ($1,000):
Participant/County Category Yield/Variety
Roger Swartzentruber Dryland 79.70 bu/acre
Kent Channel3718
Jay Baxter Full Season 78.78 bu/acre
Sussex Irrigated B4139E
Tim Rogers Double Crop 69.28 bu/acre
Sussex Irrigated P48
COUNTY WINNERS ($250):
Participant/County Category Yield/Variety
Kristi Malin Full Season 73.68 bu/acre
Sussex Irrigated B4139E
Fred Stites Full Season 71.80 bu/acre
Kent Irrigated P36A83X
Robbie Emerson Full Season 56.38 bu/acre
New Castle Non-irrigated Channel4218
Mel Wyatt Double Crop 67.03 bu/acre
Kent Irrigated P42A96
Joe Calhoun Double Crop 51.28 bu/acre
Sussex Non-irrigated Pioneer37T51
No entry Double Crop
New Castle
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For information, contact:
Rick Davis
Yield Contest Coordinator
443-735-7234
r.davisjr@comcast.net
OR
Danielle Farace
Executive Director
Delaware Soybean Board
443-812-4526
Danielle@desoybeans.org