Corn yield winners break state record

Corn yield winners break state record

Two entries in annual contest top 300-bushel mark

(December 19, 2017) – Brothers from the Davis-Hurley area harvested state-record yields in an annual corn yield contest sponsored by the South Dakota Corn Growers Association.

Steve Hagena had the highest yield in the state at 312.9 bushels per acre, giving him bragging rights over his older brother, Jarrod, who had the second-highest mark at 309.4 bushels per acre. Both totals broke the state record.

“Jarrod beat me in the beans contest so I took him in corn,” Steve Hagena, 39, of Davis said kiddingly. “I thought it would be 280 or 290 bushels but didn’t think it would be 300. It felt pretty good.”

The Hagenas have had their sights set on the 300-bushel barrier for some time.

“We couldn’t quite get there in past years. We finally did,” 41-year-old Jarrod said. “It was crazy good.”

Jarrod’s response to finishing second: “My brother is luckier than me.”

Crop yields have increased in recent years through improved seed varieties and advanced farming techniques, including precision agriculture technology.

The Hagenas, who farm together with their dad, LaRohn, said one key to their high yields was the timely application of natural fertilizer. After cutting corn for silage last year, they applied liquid cattle manure to the soil to give this year’s crop a boost.

All three Hagenas have been place winners in past corn yield contests. There are four divisions: non-irrigated; no-till/strip till non-irrigated; irrigated; no-till/strip till irrigated. The Hagenas’ winning entries were in the irrigated division.

The South Dakota contest is held in conjunction with the National Corn Yield Contest, which is in its 53rd year and its most popular program for members.

Here’s a list of South Dakota winners, including seed brand, hybrid and yield.

RANK/NAME/CITY BRAND HYBRID YIELD

Non-irrigated

1. Daryl Akland, Beresford Pioneer P1197AM 267.9
2. Harold Wipf, Scotland Pioneer P1151AM 266.4
3. Ronald Johnson, Alcester Pioneer P1151AM 265.1

No-till/strip-till, non-irrigated

1. Scott McKee, Hawarden, Iowa Pioneer P1151AMX 289.2
2. Brian Hefty, Baltic Hefty Seed H5504 268.6
3. Brian Hefty, Baltic Hefty Seed H5302 268.4

Irrigated

1. Steve Hagena, Davis Pioneer P1366AM 312.9
2. Jarrod Hagena, Hurley Pioneer P1366AM 309.4
3. Dean Bosse, Elk Point Pioneer P1197AM 288.1

No-till/strip, till irrigated

1.Tyler and Jerry Poeschl, Yankton Pioneer P1151AMX 282.6

2. Darren Mosel, Chamberlain Dekalb DKC62-97RIB 264.9
3. (tie) Darren Mosel, Chamberlain Dekalb DKC60-67RIB 261.3

Tom Arens, Yankton Pioneer P1197AMXT 261.3