2024 North Carolina Soybean Yield Contest
Like most every year, the 2024 soybean growing season presented various challenges. Much of the state started with wet conditions during full-season soybean planting time, which gave way to extreme drought and heat from mid-June through July. Late summer rainfall was a blessing and allowed the soybean crop to recover tremendously. Fall harvest weather was incredible, with many farmers experiencing several weeks with little or no interruption in harvest due to weather, which is unusual.
N.C. Soy recognized the champions of the 2024 North Carolina Soybean Yield Contest during the NC Commodity Conference in January. We had 33 entries with an average yield of 80.1 bu/ac. There were 7 entries in the irrigated category and 26 entries in the non-irrigated category. A state champion with the highest yield in the state, regardless of irrigation practices, received an award totaling $1000. Winners in the irrigated and non-irrigated categories were also crowned.
Regional awards will be given to the producer with the highest yield in each of the five geographic areas, regardless of irrigation practices.
Overall State Champion and Winner of the Dryland Division:
Cox Brothers Farms of Union County
101.5 bushels per acre
Planted USG 7461XFS on May 25th
County Agent: Andrew Baucom
State Winners:
1st Place Irrigated Division
Matthews Family Farms of Davie County
101.2 bushels per acre
Pioneer P48A14E on April 28th
County Agent: Marsha McGraw
2nd Place Irrigated Division
Austin Bryant of Northampton County
94.2 bushels per acre
Dyna Gro S47XF23S on April 10th
County Agent: Craig Ellison
2nd Place Dryland Division
Carey Parrish of Chowan County
95.3 bushels per acre
Asgrow AG43XF2 on April 28th
County Agent: Paul Smith
Regional Winners:
Tidewater Region:
C.Y. Parrish of Chowan County
87.4 bushels/acre
Pioneer P42A84E on April 19
County Agent: Paul Smith
Southern Coastal Plain Region:
Adrian Locklear of Robeson County
80.9 bushels/acre
Stine 48EE20 on April 13
County Agent: Mac Malloy
Northern Piedmont Region:
Timothy Matthews of Yadkin County
82.0 bushels/acre
Pioneer P45A81E on May 23
County Agent: Ryan Coe
Southern Piedmont Region:
Riley Baucom of Union County
92.3 bushels/acre
AgriGold G5110XF on April 12
County Agent: Morgan Menaker
Northern Coastal Plain Region:
Luke Potter of Wayne County
92.3 bushels/acre
NK 39-M8XF on April 18
County Agent: Daryl Anderson