Press Release

All South Dakota soybean farmers are encouraged to enter the 2017 South Dakota Soybean Yield Contest on or before the deadline of August 31, 2017.

Sponsored by the South Dakota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (SDSRPC) and managed by the South Dakota Soybean Association (SDSA), this annual contest encourages soybean growers to push yield limits and share best management practices.

“We want farmers to think outside the box and try something new that will push their yields to the next level,” said Jon Schaeffer, a second-generation Viborg farmer who chairs the South Dakota Soybean Yield Contest committee and serves on the South Dakota Soybean Association board.

Schaeffer explained that data collected from Yield Contest winners gives soybean producers a good idea of what is working in soybean fields across South Dakota.

“It seems like the growers who are consistently placing in this contest, are the farmers who try something new to boost yields – maybe it’s working on their soil health or a new fungicide. This contest is a way to gather best practices and promote them,” he said.

New this year

Contest winners receive cash awards for winning yields. All contestants who submit a completed harvest form are entered in a drawing for $500 cash.

To encourage the next generation of soybean growers, the 2017 Yield Contest opened a new class for youth growers ages 13-21. “We want to support those young farmers who are trying new products and practices to increase yields,” Schaeffer said.

And, to provide a new challenge for growers yielding 100-bushels-per-acre or more, the Master Class is also new this year. A farmer is only eligible for the Master Class if he or she has previously broken the 100 bushels-per-acre threshold in the Yield Contest. Contesants breaking the 100 bushels-per-acre threshold will be automatically placed in the Master Class in all subsequent years.

Along with the introduction of two new classes, a few Yield Contest rules have changed. For prizes, categories, rules and entry information, visit www.sdsoybean.org/

Producers can enter online or request mailed entry forms by calling the SD Soybean office at 605-330-9942.