The National Wheat Foundation has unveiled the first National Wheat Yield Contest in over 20 years. The rules and registration have just opened on their website and you can submit your entry today! The contest has been looked forward to with great anticipation since it was announced at the 2015 Commodity Classic. BASF Crop Protection, Monsanto Seed, John Deere, and Winfield have contributed generous support to make the contest possible.
“We have been eagerly awaiting the launch of the National Wheat Yield Contest and look forward to U.S. wheat farmers competing with the best available technology to demonstrate how they can increase productivity, drive innovation and enable knowledge transfer between growers,” said NWF Chairman Dusty Tallman, a wheat grower from Brandon, Colo.
Wheat growers can compete in two primary contest categories – winter wheat and spring wheat. There will be two sub-categories for each category, respectively, for dry land and irrigated wheat production. Entrants must be a producer, at least 14 years of age, and member of their recognized state wheat grower association, or if from a state without a recognized state wheat grower organization, a member of the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG). All contest entries must use certified or branded, and currently commercially available, wheat seed.
To register for winter wheat is April 1 and spring wheat is June 15. After these date the registration fee increases from $100 to $125 per entry. Final deadlines are May 1 for winter wheat and August 1 for spring wheat.
“It’s an exciting time to be involved with wheat and Monsanto is proud to be a sponsor,” said Dr. Jeff Koscelny, Wheat Commercial Lead at Monsanto. “This national yield contest provides a great platform for U.S. wheat farmers to showcase the genetic potential of today’s wheat seed and the innovative farm management practices and technologies being deployed.”
Five winners will be honored from each category. These winners will be recognized at the 2017 Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas.