December 4, 2006

For Immediate Release

NSP Announces Sorghum Yield & Management Contest Winners

 

The National Sorghum Producers (NSP) announced today the winners of its 2006 National Sorghum Producers Yield and Management Contest.

 

The NSP Yield and Management Contest is a way for top producers to showcase their best management practices, said NSP President Greg Shelor of Minneola, Kan. With the producers yield scored against the National Agricultural Statistics Service 5-year county average, it levels the playing field.

 

National and state winners will be recognized Jan. 14-16 at the 2007 National Sorghum Producers and Southern Seed Association Joint Conference in Santa Ana Pueblo, N.M.

 

In the reduced till, irrigated category, Hill Farms, Inc. of Sheridan County, Kan. earned the top spot by planting Pioneer 84G62. The crop yielded 166 bushels compared to the countys five-year average of 82 bushels. Second place honors went to Monte Wright of Ochiltree County, Texas who also planted Pioneer 84G62. Jim Nagel of North Bluff Commodities in Lancaster County, Neb. placed third by planting DEKALB DKS 53-11.

 

Raymond DeBey of Mitchell County, Kan. took first place honors in the no-till, non-irrigated category. His Pioneer 84G62 yielded 169 bushels compared to the five-year county average of 70 bushels. Glen Henneke of Gasconade County, Mo. placed second with Pioneer 84G62. Taking third place honors was James and Dana Born of Ochiltree County, Texas who planted NC+ 5B89.

 

In the mulch-till, non-irrigated category, the HRB Farming Partnership in Livingston County, Mo. placed first with DEKALB DKS 54-00. The crop yielded 165 bushels compared to the 88-bushel five-year county average. Placing second was D&M Farms in Jackson County, Ark. Third place went to Bonnie Chandler of Westmoreland County, Virginia. Both the second and third place winners planted Pioneer 84G62.

 

Pshigoda Farms in Ochiltree County, Texas got top honors in the conventional-till, non-irrigated category. The plot of DEKALB DK 39Y yielded 132 bushels compared to the five-year county average of 46 bushels. Steven C. Gamble, Jr. of Clarendon County, S.C. placed second and Jerry Guenther of Wilson County, Kan. placed third. Once again, both the second and third place winners planted Pioneer 84G62.

 

Randy Cain Farms in Curry County, N.M. won the conventional-till, irrigated category with a plot of NC+ 7R83 that yielded 172 bushels compared to the five-year county average of 82 bushels. Second place went to Ki Gamble of Kiowa County, Kan. who planted Pioneer 84G62. Felts Farms in Mississippi County, Ark. took third place honors with Pioneer 84G62.

 

Michael Fischer won the non-irrigated category for food-grade sorghums. The plot of Fontanelle W-1000 in Thayer County, Neb. yielded 141 bushels compared to the 78-bushel five-year county average.

 

To learn more about the contest or to view complete results, visit www.sorghumgrowers.com . Management practices of the winners will be available at a later date.

 

NSP represents U.S. sorghum producers. Headquartered in Lubbock, Texas, in the heart of the U.S. Sorghum Belt that stretches from the Rockies to the Mississippi River and from South Texas to South Dakota, the organization works to ensure the profitability of sorghum production through market development, research, education and legislative representation.

 

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