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South Dakota contest yields defy weather challenges

Eight South Dakota Corn Yield Contest entrants raised corn that yielded more than 270 bushels an acre. That’s despite what the South Dakota Corn Growers Association calls one of the most challenging growing seasons ever.

For the second consecutive year, Scott McKee had the highest contest yield at nearly 292 bushels per acre. McKee, of Hawarden, Iowa, got the winning yield on a South Dakota field near the Iowa border in the No-Till Non-Irrigated category.

Heavy rain and flooding delayed planting across much of South Dakota resulting in the state having the most acres in the nation prevented from being planted. Standing water, cool weather, hail, green snap and harvest delays also took a toll on yields.

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

Conventional Non-Irrigated:

Dean Bosse, Elk Point          Pioneer               P1197AM           277.61
Brian Hefty, Baltic                Hefty Seed         H5812                   274.44
Ben LeBrun, Flandreau       Channel            209-51VT2PRIB   270.54

No-Till Non-Irrigated:

Scott McKee, Hawarden       Pioneer               P1082AM            291.82
Richard Arneson, Tulare      Dekalb                DKC44-80RIB      217.43
Garrett Masat, Redfield        Dekalb                DKC50-09RIB       215.83

Strip, Minimum, Mulch, Ridge-Till Non-Irrigated:

Brennen Reid Bird, Elk Point Channel          213-19VT2P     277.68
Brennen Reid Bird, Elk Point Channel          213-19VT2P     274.15
Daryl Akland, Beresford        Pioneer           P1366AM            244.88

No-Till Irrigated:

Jim Sheehan, Pierre             Croplan Seed 4199VT2PRIB    168.39

Strip, Minimum, Mulch, Ridge-Till Irrigated:

Tyler/Jerry Poeschl, Yankton Pioneer            P1366AM           280.83
John Yaggie, Yankton           Pioneer             P1366AM         277.89

Conventional Irrigated:

Tom & Don Logue, Volin       Pioneer              P0688AM           257.03
Kory Standy, Platte               Dekalb               DKC63-21RIB    239.39
Adam Wiese, Flandreau       Dekalb                DKC58-34RIB    219.37