NCGA announces National Corn Yield Contest winners

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Advanced production techniques, informed growing practices and improved seed varieties helped corn growers achieve high yields in the National Corn Growers Assoc. (NCGA) 2009 National Corn Yield Contest.

The contest is in its 45th year and remains NCGA’s most popular program for members. This year, NCGA processed 6,960 entries, and the 24 winners in eight production categories ha
d verified yields averaging more than 300 bushels per acre.
While there is no overall contest winner, yields from first, second and third place farmers overall production categories ranged from 287.0744 to 346.0156 bushels per acre. A list of national winners in the Farm World coverage area follows. A listing of the state winners will be posted on http://ncga.com

Class A No-Till/Strip-Till Non-Irrigated: Marcus Huffman, Marcus Huffman Farms of Auburn, Ky., third place with DEKALB DKC63-42, 295.5605 bushels per acre.

AA No-Till/Strip-Till Non-Irrigated: David and Mason Hansen, H & H Farms LLP of Crescent Iowa, second place with Pioneer 33Y75, 288.6477 bushels per acre.

AA Non-Irrigated: Leslie Lindner, LCL Farms, Inc. of Keokuk Iowa, first place with DEKALB DKC63-42, 298.3101 bushels per acre; and Kevin Kalb of Dubois Ind., second place with DEKALB DKC63-42, 296.1144 bushels.

ISA names Koesters 2010 ASA/Dupont Young Leaders

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA), the American Soybean Assoc. (ASA) and Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business, are pleased to announce Dale and Lisa Koester of Wadesville have been named 2010 ASA/DuPont Young Leaders.
They were chosen to represent Indiana in a program involving producer participants from 22 other states and Canada. The ASA/DuPont Young Leader Program identifies soybean farmers who are innovative, assertive, “young in leadership” and looking to make their mark in agriculture.

The Koesters farm with Dale’s brothers in Posey County. They grow soybeans, as well as yellow corn, food grade yellow corn, identity preserved food grade white corn, wheat and alfalfa. The farm includes a 200-head dairy operation. They also sell round bales of straw to a local factory that produces erosion control blankets.
The Koesters are both graduates of Purdue University with degrees in agricultural economics. Lisa also has a degree in agricultural communications and sits on the USDA Beginning Farmer and Ranchers Advisory Committee and U.S. Rep. Brad Ellsworth’s (D-Ind.) Ag Advisory Committee.

On a local level, Dale sits on the Posey County Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Committee, Farm Credit Area Advisory Board, and has recently served on the Vanderburgh County Farm Bureau board of directors.

The 2010 class of ASA/DuPont Young Leaders will take part in the second phase of their training March 2-6, in conjunction with the annual Commodity Classic. To find out more, visit www.soygrowers.com/dyl

ASA announces 2010 committee assignments
ST. LOUIS, Mo. — The American Soybean Assoc. (ASA) announced the following committee members for 2010, as assigned by ASA President Rob Joslin, a soybean producer from Sidney, Ohio.
Public Affairs Committee Chair Alan Kemper (Ind.) is joined by committee members Charles Cannatella (La.), Dan Feige (S.D.), Kelly Forck (Mo.), Ray Gaesser (Iowa), Ted Glaub (Ark.), Tim Goodenough (Wis.), Leo Guilbeault (Canada), Bob Henry (Kan.), Robert Ross (Okla.), Curt Sindergard (Iowa), Jeff Sollars (Ohio), Lawrence Sukalski (Minn.), Jack Trumbo (Ky.) and Wyatt Whitford (N.C.).

The Membership & Corporate Relations Committee chair is Steve Wellman (Neb.), with committee members James Andrew (Iowa), Ron Bunjer (Minn.), Mark Detweiler (Ga./Fla.), Bruce Hall (Va.), Mark Jackson (Iowa), Ron Kindred (Ill.), Joseph Mills (Ala.), David Poppens (S.D.), Mike Skinner (Texas), Warren Stemme (Mo.), Richard Wilkins (Mass.) and Bob Worth (Minn.).

Randy Mann was appointed chair of the Trade Policy & International Affairs Committee. Committee members are Dennis Bogaards (Iowa), Dan Beenken (Iowa), Mike Cunningham (Ill.), M.D. Floyd (S.C.), John Freeman (Ark.), Scott Fritz (Ind.), Kevin Hoyer (Wis.), Jim Miller (Neb.), Ron Moore (Ill.), Danny Murphy (Miss.), Jason Nelson (N.D.), Barb Overlie (Minn.), Lance Peterson (Minn.), Joe Steiner (Ohio) and Andy Welden (Mich.).

Steiner was appointed chair of the Finance Committee, with Cannatella, Gaesser, Glaub, Henry and Mills serving as committee members.

Indiana farmer elected VP of NCSRP

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Trevor Glick of Columbus, Ind., was recently elected vice president of the North Central Soybean Research Program (NCSRP). He was elected at the December board meeting and will serve a one-year term.

Ed Cagney of Michigan was elected NCSRP president, and now serving as secretary/treasurer is Mike Cerney of Wisconsin.