Missouri Soybean Yield Contest Winners Announced

(JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.) – While 2018 brought its share of rough weather, including summer drought across much of the state and wet harvest conditions, Missouri soybean farmers brought big yields for the Missouri Soybean Association’s annual competition. Results from Missouri’s soybean yield contest are now finalized with the highest yields topping 90 bushels per acre. 

Top honors go to Wes Willbrand, of St. Charles, who roughly doubled Missouri’s statewide soybean average. Willbrand’s 95.61 bushel per acre yield came through conventional tillage practices and without irrigation using Asgrow AG36X6 soybean seeds. For irrigated soybeans, Kaley Wilkerson led with 93.88 bushels per acre using Stine 36LE32 seed.  “Raising 70, 80 and 90 bushel soybeans shows an outstanding combination of management, conditions and innovation, and it’s great to see Missouri farmers consistently doing so well in the Association’s annual soybean yield contest,” said Brooks Hurst, a soybean farmer from Tarkio and president of the Missouri Soybean Association.

“Stewardship is key to success on the farm, and our winners demonstrate their commitment to reaching these high yields year after year. Congratulations to all our participants in the 2018 soybean yield contest on these great results.” This year’s contest saw 16 entries with soybean yields topping 80 bushels per acre, and seven topping 90 bushels per acre. Winners will be recognized at district soybean meetings in early 2019, with the statewide winners also honored during the Missouri Soybean Association annual meeting in Jefferson City at the end of January. Winners are listed below, along with the seed variety used to reach their top-tier yields. 

Statewide Winners – Irrigated Soybeans

EntryCommunityCountyVarietyYield (bu/ac)
1stKaley WilkersonMontgomery CityMontgomeryStine 36LE3293.88
2ndCharles Hinkebein ChaffeeCape GirardeauPioneer P47T36R90.03

Statewide Winners – Non-Irrigated Soybeans

EntryCommunityCountyVarietyYield (bu/ac)
1stWes WillbrandSt. CharlesSt. CharlesAsgrow AG36X695.61
2ndJohn Brenner MorrisonGasconadeAsgrow AG39X791.29
3rdJoseph LandeweeChaffeeCape GirardeauFS HiSoy HS 47L5090.82

 The Missouri Soybean Association’s yield contest is made possible by generous contributions from the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council and soybean checkoff, AgriGold, Asgrow, Baker Implement Company, BASF, Beck’s Hybrids, Corteva Agriscience, Missouri Crop Improvement Association, DeltaAg, Nutrien Ag Solutions, MFA Oil, ProHarvest, Lewis Hybrids, Merschman Seeds, URSA Farmers Co-Op, Pioneer, FMC, Legacy Equipment, Stratton Seed Company, and Sydenstricker John Deere. District Winners

EntryCommunityCountyDistrictYield (bu/ac)EntryCommunity
Josh OswaldFairfaxAtchison1No-Till (Dryland)Pioneer P33T19X88.56
Josh OswaldFairfaxAtchison1Conventional Till Pioneer P38T20X88.33
Nathan WhiteNorborneCarroll2No-Till Pioneer P40A47X79.97
Christy NelsonVandaliaAudrain3No-Till MorSoy MS 4197 LL74.33
Christy NelsonVandaliaAudrain3Conventional Till MorSoy MS 4197 LL71.22
Tom FergusonAdrianBates4No-Till Pioneer P48A60X80.43
John BrennerMorrisonOsage5Conventional TillAsgrow AG39X790.74
Brian D. MartinCentraliaBoone5No-TillPioneer P40A47X74.52
Wes WillbrandSt. CharlesSt. Charles6Conventional Till Asgrow AG36X695.61
Joseph LandeweeChaffeeCape Girardeau7No-TillFS HiSoy HS 47L5090.82
Jennifer LandeweeChaffeeCape Girardeau7Conventional TillFS HiSoy HS 47L50 90.62

 Missouri’s soybean harvest averages between 40 and 50 bushels per acre each year.  Participants in the Missouri Soybean Yield Contest were required to enter their fields into the competition prior to harvest. The 2018 entry deadline was September 1. At harvest, participants were required to have a designated judge verify their yield results for the competition and to submit their verified results no later than the extended deadline of December 1.  Contest rules are posted online at mosoy.org. Details for the Missouri Soybean Association’s 2019 Yield Contest will be posted online at mosoy.org and announced in Missouri Soybean Farmer magazine during the spring of 2019. To learn more about the contest, or the Missouri Soybean Association, visit mosoy.org. -30- Note: There is not a no-till winner for district 6, nor a conventional tillage winner in district 2, as no entries met all requirements for those categories.

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