Greenwell Acres will be honored again this year at the Kentucky Commodity Conference on January 17 along with the other winners listed below.
Greenwell Acres, out of Union Co., achieved what has eluded Kentucky farmers for at least the last decade, earning a spot among the top producers in the National Corn Yield Contest (NCYC).
Their winning yield this year, using Channel brand 218-44VT2PRIB seed, was 319.6887 bushels per acre, and it landed them third place in the NCYC Division A Non-Irrigated Category.
Jason Greenwell said the honor was “kind of a shock,” but his son Kirk, who manages the agronomic practices with his brother Drew, said they have been working to achieve higher yields while improving profitability for a few years. Kirk said attention to reducing disease pressure, increased plant populations, and their fertility practices have made a difference.
“I enjoy doing the yield contest,” remarked Kirk. “We are trying to figure out different things that will produce more bushels but be more profitable. Split nitrogen applications and several applications of fungicides have helped. We are also seeing a lot of benefits from a broadcast application of chicken litter, and we plant several different Channel hybrids to spread risk. I didn’t know this yield would make it in the National Corn Yield Contest, but that has been the goal.”
Kirk also said that when they won the Kentucky Corn Yield Contest in 2013, they did not enter the national contest, but their yield would have earned them a spot.
“Now we always enter in the National Corn Yield Contest in case we do hit a big one.”
The Greenwells will be honored at the Commodity Classic on March 1 in Orlando for their national achievement.
State NCYC winners from Kentucky:
Division A Non-Irrigated
Division A No-Till/Strip-Till Non-Irrigated
No-Till/Strip Till Irrigated
Irrigated
Winners receive national recognition in publications such as the NCYC Corn Yield Guide, as well as cash trips or other awards from participating sponsoring seed, chemical and crop protection companies. The winners will be honored during Commodity Classic 2019 in Orlando, Fla.
Please visit National Corn Growers Association website www.ncga.com for the complete list of National and State winners. National and State winners will be announced at 10 a.m. CST.
List of National winners and State winners.
View the list of 2018 Kentucky Corn Yield Contest Winners. This contest is administered by the University of Kentucky.