Entry forms are now available for the National Corn Growers Association’s (NCGA) 41st Annual National Corn Yield Contest. Growers can download forms from www.ncga.com. NCGA members will also receive forms in the mail next week. The entry deadline is August 1. The fee is $75 for contest entries postmarked by July 1. The fee is $105 for entries postmarked July 2 through August 1. For more information, call 636-733-9004.

Entry Forms Available For NCGA's 41st Annual National Corn Yield Contest (4-19-06)

When National Corn Growers Association’s (NCGA) members receive entry forms in the coming weeks for the 41st Annual National Corn Yield Contest (NCYC), they will notice two rule changes for the 2006 contest.

A recheck will be required for initial yield checks of 235-299 bushels per acre. NCGA must be contacted by telephone and two new supervisors must be approved by NCGA. Last year the recheck kicked in at yields more than 225 bushels per acre, and the initial yield check supervisor could also be a recheck supervisor when initial yields did not exceed 250 bushels.

If the initial yield check is more than 300 bushels per acre, a recheck is required, and NCGA must be contacted by telephone. NCGA will assign two new supervisors.

“As production rates continue to increase, we’re increasing our yield recheck level to maintain a level of consistency,” said Max Starbuck, NCGA director of production, stewardship and livestock. “The 300 bushel per acre recheck was put in place because we have had more farmers crack that level the past two years.”

Growers can enter nine categories: A Non-irrigated; AA Non-irrigated; A No Till/Strip Till Non-irrigated; AA No Till/Strip Till Non-irrigated; No Till/Strip Till Irrigated; A Ridge Till Non-irrigated; AA Ridge Till Non-irrigated; Ridge Till Irrigated; and Irrigated.

“The National Corn Yield Contest gives growers the opportunity to compare their farming techniques and management practices with other farmers in their states and across the nation,” said Bill Chase, chairman of NCGA’s Production and Stewardship Action Team. “In the past several years, growers have improved production capabilities while protecting the environment and land around them.”

For the 2005 season, corn growers from 48 states submitted 2,997 entries. National winning yields in the nine categories ranged from 232.44 to 351.68 bushels per acre.

Winners of this year's NCYC will be announced in December and honored at the 2007 Commodity Classic, the combined convention and trade show of the NCGA and the American Soybean Association (ASA), March 1-3 in Tampa, Fla. Along with national recognition, winners may receive prizes from participating seed and crop protection companies.

The entry deadline is Aug. 1. The fee is $75 for contest entries postmarked by July 1. The fee is $105 for entries postmarked July 2 through Aug. 1.