SOYBEAN YIELD CONTEST IN PHILLIPS COUNTY ARKANSAS
Extension Education
Robert Goodson
CEA- AGRICULTURE
Univ of Ark. Division of Agriculture
HELENA
Abstract
Phillips County is the largest soybean county in Arkansas with 203,720 acres, which is 6.3% of the state’s total. Average yield in the county was 52 bu/ac, which is 9 bushels over the stage average. 63.4% of the crop is irrigated with an average yield of 65 bushels per acre. To assist producers in increasing yields, efforts were made to encourage producers to enter the Soybean Promotion Board‘s “Go for the Green Contest”. This is a yield contest with monetary awards for the highest yield. It was surmised that if “friendly’ competition could be initiated between producers, many would increase their yield. The local county agent job was to aid in recruitment of participants, measure fields for harvest and to certify yields. Success of this program was based on comparing contest yields to both the state and county average for soybeans. In 2013, state wide there were 120 different producers who entered the contest. In Phillips County there were 27 entries or 22.5% of the state entries. Eighteen of the 54 harvested fields in the state were from the local area. Average yield for contest fields was 75.2 bushels, compared to 65 bushels for irrigated soybeans. Due to better than average per acre yield, the program was successful. This program is made available with financial support of the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board and administered by the Arkansas Soybean Association. Thanks to the teamwork between the three groups, this program will continue into the 2014 season.
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Poster has NOT been presented at any previous NACAA AM/PIC
This poster is being submitted for judging. It will be displayed at the AM/PIC if not selected as a State winner. The abstract will be published in the proceedings.
A poster file has not been provided
Authors: R. Goodson
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Goodson, R. CEA- AGRICULTURE, Univ of Ark. Division of Agriculture, Arkansas, 72342