|
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATIONAL CORN GROWERS ASSOCIATION
Mimi Ricketts, NCGA,
(636) 733-9004
NCGA Explains
Francis Childs’ Disqualification
From 2003 National Corn Yield Contest
ST. LOUIS (May 5, 2004)--For
38 years the nation’s top corn
producers have entered the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA)
National Corn Yield Contest. Last year’s contest was no exception:
more than 3,500 producers from 20 states entered, including six-time
contest champion Francis Childs, a producer from Manchester, Iowa.
Because of a procedural
error Childs was disqualified from the contest. There has been much
speculation and misinformation surrounding Childs’ disqualification.
Today, NCGA’s CEO Rick Tolman issued the following statement:
“Francis Childs, six-time winner of the National Corn Yield
Contest, was disqualified from the 2003 contest due to a procedural
error. While it is NCGA’s policy not to discuss the specifics
of any candidate’s disqualification from the contest, the association
is departing from this policy due to increasing media attention surrounding
Francis Childs’ disqualification.
The National Corn Yield Contest maintains rigorous standards and procedures,
and unfortunately, disqualifications are a part of the contest. Each
year between 10 and 20 contest entries are disqualified.
In the case of Francis Childs’ entry, there was confusion over
which wagons were inspected. The wagons checked were not the same wagons
used to offload the combine. Francis thought four wagons had been checked
and the supervisors were aware that only two had been inspected. When
they cross-checked their information, the discrepancy was discovered,
thereby causing the contest entry to become invalid.
We hope this puts an end
to the misinformed rumors and speculation surrounding Francis Childs
and the NCGA National Corn Yield Contest.”
The National
Corn Growers Association mission is to create and increase opportunities
for corn growers in a changing world and to enhance corn’s
profitability and usage. NCGA represents more than 33,000 members,
25 affiliated state corn grower organizations and hundreds of thousands
of growers who contribute to state checkoff programs.
|