Carefully planned growing practices and wisely selected seedstock varieties combined with favorable growing conditions to help Kansas farmers achieve high soybean yields and quality in 2013. Entrants in the annual Kansas Soybean Yield and Value Contests surpassed the year's state average yield, doubling it in many instances, or qualified for well above the cash price.

The yield contest included 37 entries, down 20 from 2012. The quality contest had 24 entries, 12 fewer than in the previous year.

"These contests recognize outstanding Kansas soybean farmers and provide fun incentives for them to increase soybean yields and protein and oil contents," said Gary Kilgore, Chanute, a Kansas State University professor emeritus of agronomy who coordinates the contests. "They also allow the Kansas Soybean Association, with financial support from the Kansas Soybean Commission, to share the information participants learned to help all Kansas soybean farmers grow higher yielding and more profitable soybeans."

The 24 winners in 11 categories had verified yields averaging 75.61 bushels per acre, compared to the reported state average of 35 bushels per acre in 2013. While the contest winners' average increased by nearly 8 bushels per acre from 2012, the state average increased 13 bushels per acre.

The top three entries in the quality contest averaged a $0.93 (7.1 percent) premium over the $13.05 cash price for their protein and oil contents. In 2012, that average was $1.10 (7.3 percent) above the $15.05 cash price.

Sam Miller, Haven, was the yield contest's overall irrigated winner with 92.12 bushels per acre. Gleue Farms, LeRoy, topped the dryland entries with 85.69 bushels per acre. Getman Brothers Farm, Columbus, won the value contest with a protein and oil premium of $0.94 per bushel (7.2 percent over the cash price).

There were six winners from northeastern Kansas. Derek Gigstad, McLouth, won the contest's northeast district, conventional-till dryland, with 77.93 bushels per acre. Craig Gigstad, Valley Falls, took second place in the same district with 71.48 bushels per acre. Reiff Enterprise LLC, Netawaka, took third place in that district with 70.11 bushels per acre. Bryce Huninghake, Manhattan, won the contest's northeast district, no-till dryland, with 68.58 bushels per acre. Precision Farms, Hiawatha, took third place in the statewide conventional-till, irrigated contest with 79.06 bushels per acre. Phil Hinton, Hiawatha, won the statewide no-till, irrigated contest with 86.9 bushels per acre.

The Kansas Soybean Association presented the state and district winners with plaques or certificates and monetary prizes from the Kansas Soybean Commission at the Kansas Soybean Expo, Jan. 8 in Topeka. The highest dryland and irrigated yields in the state each received a $1,000 award. In each district, first place won $300, second earned $200, and third received $100. No-till on the Plains supplied additional prizes for the no-till categories.