In The News

Mar 27, 2024

EP. 45 - Meet the Newly-Crowned King of the Corn Yield Contest Nitrogen Management Class, with Nick Preissler and Jim Isermann

Key Issues: YIELD CONTEST WINNERS

Author: Dusty Weis

Growers who limited their nitrogen application still achieved incredible results.   Now entering its 60th year, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Corn Yield Contest is an institution in the agriculture world.   Growers from all across the country can compete against one another to see who can coax the most bushels per acre out of their ground, blending tried-and-true techniques with new and emerging practices to maximize their production.   Last year, NCGA launched a new pilot class for the contest, the first in its history to limit an input in the hunt for high corn yields.   So in this episode of the Cobcast, we're discussing the Nitrogen Management Pilot Class of the Corn Yield Contest with Nick Preissler, the first-ever winner of the class, and Jim Isermann, an agronomist working with the NCGA to design rules for the class.   Together we'll discuss the impetus behind the development of the class, the challenges and opportunities it presents and the specific...

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Dec 13, 2023

National Corn Yield Contest 2023 Winners Announced

Key Issues: YIELD CONTEST WINNERS

Author: Stacey Stiens

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is excited to announce the winners of the 2023 National Corn Yield Contest. This group of farmers put up some impressive yields and proved, once again, the ingenuity and resiliency of the U.S. farmer.     In its 59th year, the National Corn Yield Contest saw nearly 7,000 entries from farmers in 46 states. Entrants across the 10 production categories, including the pilot category for nitrogen management, Class J, had verified yields averaging 269 bushels per acre, compared to the projected national average of 173 bushels per acre. This includes a new national record yield of 623.8439 bushels per acre from David Hula in Charles City, VA, besting the previous record of 616.1953 bushels per acre.     “Year after year, the National Corn Yield Contest remains the most popular program for NCGA members,” said Harold Wolle, president of the National Corn Growers Association. “It is an opportunity for farmers across the country to put their...

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May 5, 2022

EP. 33 – 4-Time National Corn Yield Contest Record Holder David Hula’s Winning Formula

Key Issues: YIELD CONTEST WINNERS

Author: Dusty Weis

Along the banks of the James River in Virginia, David Hula is harvesting some real bin-busters.   The NCGA National Corn Yield Contest is an annual tradition that dates back to 1965.   But in that time, no one has had quite the sustained success as Charles City, Virginia’s David Hula, who has won the contest with record-setting yields on four separate occasions.   In this episode, we talk to David about his formula for success, which includes a combination of precisely-targeted fertilizer applications and a blend of strip-till and no-till.   Plus, we discuss the unique environmental challenges he faces as he works tirelessly to preserve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and how his farm traces its historic roots back to a time when growers planted a dead catfish with their corn seed.     DIRECT SHARE LINK   TRANSCRIPT   David Hula: I like to say there's three great things that produce high yield and corn. A good Lord blesses you. Number two, you got...

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