State and Regional PA Soybean Yield Contest Winners Announced
HARRISBURG, PA (January 23, 2012) – 2011 was a pretty tough year for soybeans throughout much of Pennsylvania with rain during the planting window, dry weather during the critical podding period, and then flooding from a tropical storm. Despite the year’s weather woes, four Pennsylvania growers topped the 80-bushel an acre mark in the 2011 Pennsylvania Soybean Yield Contest.
Charles Farms, Inc. of Lancaster County was the state’s top producer in the annual competition sponsored by the Pennsylvania Soybean Board, with a yield of 86.28 bushels per acre. Charles Farms was joined in the 80 Bushel Club by fellow Lancaster County soybean growers Matt Hess (83.39 bu./acre), James Hershey (81.56 bu./acre) and Burnell Nolt (80.72 bu./acre).
The other top ten state-wide winners, listed in the order of finish, were:
Merle Stoltzfus, Lancaster County, 79.82 bu./acre
Robert Shearer, Lancaster County, 78.54 bu./acre
Troy Aldefer, Berks County, 77.53 bu./acre
Darren Grumbine, Lebanon County, 77.51 bu./acre
Rick Telesz, Lawrence County, 76.39 bu./acre
Nelson Nolt, Lancaster County, 72.90 bu./acre
According to contest coordinator and Penn State Senior Extension Agent Del Voight, mean yield of the 19 participating growers in 2011 was 73.98 bushels per acre.
This year, contest rules were changed to recognize not only the state-wide grand champion, but also the top growers in each of four regions of Pennsylvania. The state into four regions based on maturity maps to make the competition more equitable for all growers: Northern Tier, Central Tier, West Tier, and Southeast Tier.
In addition to the statewide title, Charles Farms was the Southeast Region winner, planting Pioneer 93M11 in 7.5″ rows following corn. The crop was drilled no-till at a seed rate of 225,000, and the final stand, populated at 209,088, was harvested October 11 at 17% moisture.
Lawrence County producer Rick Telesz won top honors in the West Tier with a 76.39 bu./acre yield. He planted Hisoy 31A03 in 15″ rows following corn. His crop was planted in minimum till at a seed rate of 244,000, and the final stand, populated at 158,558, was harvested November 7 at 11% moisture.
Perry County’s David McLaughlin won the top yield honors in the Central Tier with 65.68 bu./acre. McLaughlin planted Asgrow 4130 in 30″ rows following corn. His crop was planted no-till at a seed rate of 143,000, and the final stand, populated at 132,422, was harvested November 4 at 15% moisture.
As the top state winner, Charles Farms receives a trophy and an all-expense paid trip for two to the Commodity Classic, the annual joint convention of the American Soybean Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, and the National Grain Sorghum Producers, held in 2012 in Nashville, Tenn.
Second-place state-wide winner Matt Hess and third-place winner James Hershey receive a cash prize and plaque, while regional winners and 80-Bushel Club members receive a plaque acknowledging their achievement.
The contest was launched by the Pennsylvania Soybean Promotion Board in 1992. A summary of the crop production practices from the 2011 contest entrants is available at to pasoybean.org.
About the Pennsylvania Soybean Board
The Pennsylvania Soybean Board is a farmer-controlled Board responsible for managing Pennsylvania’s share of funds received from the nationwide Soybean Checkoff program. The funding is available under an assessment program, approved by Congress in 1990, under which soybean farmers contribute 50 cents of every $100 they receive for their beans at the first point of sale. Funds are used to develop markets, educate consumers, and research new ways to utilize and produce soybeans more efficiently.
For more information, go to pasoybean.org.
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