While 2018 brought its share of rough weather, including summer drought across much of the state and wet harvest conditions, Missouri soybean farmers brought big yields for the Missouri Soybean Association’s annual competition. Results from Missouri’s soybean yield contest are now finalized with the highest yields topping 90 bushels per acre.

 Top honors go to Wes Willbrand of St. Charles, who roughly doubled Missouri’s statewide soybean average. Willbrand’s 95.61 bushel per acre yield came through conventional tillage practices and without irrigation using Asgrow AG36X6 soybean seeds. For irrigated soybeans, Kaley Wilkerson led with 93.88 bushels per acre using Stine 36LE32 seed.

This year’s contest saw 16 entries with soybean yields topping 80 bushels per acre, and seven topping 90 bushels per acre.

Winners will be recognized at district soybean meetings in early 2019, with the statewide winners also honored during the Missouri Soybean Association annual meeting in Jefferson City. 

Josh Oswald, Fairfax, was a winner in District 1. His entries included: No-Till (Dryland), Pioneer P33T19X, 88.56 bushels/acre, and Conventional Till, Pioneer P38T20X, 88.33 bushels/acre. 

Missouri’s soybean harvest averages between 40 and 50 bushels per acre each year.

Participants in the Missouri Soybean Yield Contest were required to enter their fields into the competition prior to harvest. The 2018 entry deadline was September 1. At harvest, participants were required to have a designated judge verify their yield results for the competition and to submit their verified results no later than the extended deadline of December 1.

Contest rules are posted online at mosoy.org. Details for the Missouri Soybean Association’s 2019 Yield Contest will be posted online at mosoy.org and announced in Missouri Soybean Farmer magazine during the spring of 2019. To learn more about the contest, or the Missouri Soybean Association, visit mosoy.org.