Bertie County Soybean Yield Contest

We are excited to announce that, following the 2026 harvest season, we intend to recognize the top-producing Soybean growers in Bertie County with the 2026 Bertie County Yield Contest Awards. The purpose of this effort is threefold:

1. Encourage entry into the statewide soybean yield contests.
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 2026 Bertie County winter production meetings, we will recognize farmers who submitted entries to the respective yield contests and met the criteria for the yield awards listed below.

Regardless of irrigation type, Bertie County's countywide 10-year average soybean yield is about 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 statewide yield contest and producing the highest dry soybean yield in Bertie County.

Eligibility, Rules, and Regulations

Overall, we will adhere to the corresponding statewide yield contest rules, adding the following general rules:

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

Statewide Rules

Entries in the statewide yield contest must be submitted by December 4, 2026

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

Questions?

If you have any questions please reach out to the North Carolina Cooperative Extension - Bertie County Center at 252-794-5317