Growers have until July 1 to enter the competition
By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com
The search is on for the most productive wheat grower in Alberta. The province’s Wheat Commission (AWC) is hosting a 2017 yield contest.
The competition is free to enter.
Producers growing registered varieties that fall under the Canadian Grain Commission western standards are eligible to enter the contest. Farmers on both dry and irrigated land can participate.
Other eligibility requirements include:
- A farm of at least 500 acres,
- Field sizes of at least 10 acres of the same variety,
- GPS coordinates of the entry plot, and
- A licensed agronomist to witness the harvest and sign an agronomy report.
The report must include tillage practices, seeding dates, seeding rates, fertilizers applied and pesticide applications before harvest.
A licensed agronomist must confirm the GPS coordinates, confirm the combine hopper is empty before harvest and witness the wheat harvest. A licensed elevator must verify and weigh. The wheat must also be graded dry.
The top two farmers who produce the most tonnes per acre will receive passes to FarmTech 2018. The winners will also help other growers understand what elements of wheat production were successful for them.
“When we announce the winners we’re going to release reports about their agronomic practices,” Brian Kennedy, grower relations and extension coordinator with AWC, told Farms.com. “We want farmers to see the recipes the winners used. So there’s an educational aspect to the contest as well.”
Farmers have until July 1 to enter the contest.
Entry forms can be found on AWC’s website.
The winners will be announced in November.