We are excited to announce that following the 2024 harvest season, we intend to recognize the top producing Corn and Soybean growers in Bertie County with the 2024 Bertie County Yield Contest Awards. The purpose of this effort is threefold:

1. Encourage entry into the state-wide yield contests for corn and soybeans.
2. Recognize directly those farmers who are achieving grain yields above the county average.
3. To identify and quantify high-yielding management practices and foster farmer-to-farmer communication regarding those practices.

During the 2024 Bertie County winter production meetings for corn and soybeans, we will recognize those farmers who have submitted entries to the respective yield contest and have met the criteria for the yield awards listed below.

Eligibility, Rules and Regulations

Overall, for each crop, we will adhere to the corresponding state-wide yield contest rules linked below, adding the following general rules for both crops:

1. Entry into the state-wide yield contest for the designated crop is mandatory to be eligible for a county award
2. All harvested contest acres must be located entirely within Bertie County

Corn

2024 North Carolina Corn Yield Contest Rules and Regulations

Soybeans

2024 Soybean Production Yield Contests for North Carolina Rules and RegulationsPlease note that only one entry per farm unit per crop will be eligible for a county-level class award. Only one farmer per crop will receive the top producer award. Only one farmer will receive the corn seeding rate efficiency award. Receiving a county-level class award does not prevent a farmer from being eligible for an individual county award. Entry into the county-level yield contest does not preclude a farmer from receiving awards at the State level.

2024 Awards

Corn

The county-wide 10-year corn yield average for Bertie County, regardless of irrigation type, is roughly 128 bushels per acre. The following corn awards will be separated by irrigation type, less the seeding rate efficiency award.

County Class

225-bushel class

Any farmer who produces a dry yield 75% greater than the current 10-year county average but below 260 bushels per acre will be eligible for the 225 bushel class award.

260-bushel class

Farmers producing dry yields roughly double the current 10-year county average will be eligible for the 260-bushel class award.

Individual

Corn Seeding Rate Efficiency Award

This award will be given to one farmer who produces the highest yield per 1000 plants harvests.

Examples:
240 bu/A on 27,250 seed/A = 8.807 bu/1000 seed
187 bu/A on 21,000 seed/A = 8.905 bu/1000 seed

Note: Final harvest stand will be determined by measurement at harvest as the average of five randomly selected 1/1000^th of acre estimates from within the harvested area.

Corn Top Producer Award

This will be awarded to one farmer entering the state-wide yield contest and producing the highest dry corn yield in Bertie County for dryland and irrigated corn production.

Soybean

Regardless of irrigation type, the county-wide 10-year soybean yield average for Bertie County is roughly 39 bushels per acre. The following awards will not be segregated by irrigation type or whether or not the acres were in full-season or double-crop production.

County Class

70-bushel class

Any farmer who produces a dry soybean yield 75% greater than the current 10-year county average but below 80 bushels per acre will be eligible for the 70-bushel class award.

80-bushel class

Farmers producing dry soybean yields roughly double the current 10-year county average will be eligible for the 80-bushel class award.

Individual

Soybean Top Producer Award

This will be awarded to one farmer entering the state-wide yield contest and producing the highest dry soybean yield in Bertie County.

Lastly, we reserve the right to adjust the county-level contest’s award levels, rules, regulations, and eligibility requirements as necessary.