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| Kentucky soybean board promotes a yield contest |
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By TIM THORNBERRY
Kentucky Correspondent
PRINCETON, Ky. — Soybean growers across Kentucky will have the opportunity to gain a little extra cash from their crop by way of the Kentucky Soybean Assoc. and Promotion Board’s (KSAPB) yield contest.
The board recently announced a new quality contest to compliment the traditional yield competition that emphasizes high levels of protein and oil.
While both contests promote the use of good farming practices to increase profitability of Kentucky ag products, the quality contests encourage producers to strive for both high levels of yield and high quality beans.
Those eligible to participate include any producer (owner-operator, tenant or tenant-landlord) who produces 10 acres or more of soybeans in the Commonwealth is eligible to enter in either the Single-Crop or Double-Crop Yield Division. Anyone entering the yield contest is also eligible to enter the quality portion of the contest.
A $500 award will be given to the producer with the highest protein level and an additional $500 award will be given for the highest level of oil.
This year’s state champion for the highest yield per acre in either division will win a trip for the producer and spouse with up to $1,000 toward expenses for travel, lodging and registration to the Commodity Classic Annual Meeting (provided by KSPB), a trophy and a $200 cash award. However, the state champion is not eligible for any other yield award.
Second place finishers in each state division will received a trophy and a $250 cash award.
District awards will also be presented to producers with the highest yield per acre in each of the six districts. They will receive a plaque and $50 cash award. Cash awards may be adjusted due to available funds and will only be presented to those who attend the awards banquet.
State award winners can’t receive district awards.
All state and division winners will receive their awards during the 2008 Commodity Conference in Owensboro, Ky. on Jan. 29, 2008. Winners will be provided lodging during the awards banquet by the KSPB. The Kentucky Soybean Assoc. (KSA) will award all state and division winners with a one-year complimentary membership in the association.
Agricultural Extension Agents will have a chance at an award for their efforts from the past year. The agent with the State Champion from his/her county will receive a $250 cash award. The agent who submits completed entries having the highest average yield for the top 3 entries will also receive a $250 cash award.
Also, a $500 cash award will be presented to the agent with the most completed entries from his/her county. Any agricultural extension agent who submits three or more completed entries and who did not receive one of the other three agent awards will receive up to a $100 cash award. If more than 10 agents meet these criteria, the award money will be prorated to not exceed more than $1,000.
The idea of the contest may be the best news growers had heard all year with drought conditions being what they are. In some estimates this year’s crop could be off by more than 40 percent from the 2006 record yields with dry conditions and fewer acres planted.
With the traditional soybean harvest set to take place, many growers have considered turning their crop into livestock feed.
Last month, the Linn Group, Inc., a Chicago Board of Trade based research, consulting and execution firm, released production estimates with little good news for producers across the south.
The report noted that “soybean yield estimates fell sharply … all across the mid-south with Kentucky, Tennessee and Southern Illinois yield reductions most notable. Double crop soybean estimates were reduced significantly in Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, Mis-souri and Arkansas.
“This year the finishing weather is very disappointing and features very dry conditions in the southern one-third of the grain belt which will reduce yield prospects to a minor degree in corn, but significantly for soybeans.”
Even with all the bad news some growers have reported good crops and the contest will be an optimistic end to a tough year.
The deadlines for the contests are Nov. 15 for the quality portion and Dec. 5 for yields. |
| 10/3/2007 |
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