Kevin Matthews Sets New NC Soybean Yield Record

Posted on Posted in Featured Stories, NC Commodities Conference, Top Ag Headlines

We had waited several years for this award to finally be handed out, and last week, a farmer from Yadkin County claimed the elusive prize. Kevin Matthews of Matthews Family Farms topped 100 bushels of soybeans per acre with a verified yield of 107.4. That landed him two prizes from the state and national soybean producers associations totaling $5000. I caught up with Kevin at the NC Commodities Conference last Friday in Durham…

(From NC Soybean Producers Association)

YADKIN COUNTY FARMER WINS SOYBEAN YIELD CONTEST, SETS NEW STATE YIELD RECORD

Matthews Family Farms of Yadkin Co. won the annual North Carolina Soybean Yield Contest with an entry of 107.4 bushels per acre, besting the old state yield record by 14.1 bushels per acre and exceeding the longstanding 100 bushels per acre statewide yield goal for the first time. The award for the top yield was given at the Annual Commodity Conference of the North Carolina corn, cotton, small grains and soybean associations, Jan. 12, 2018, in Durham, N.C. The soybean yield contest is administered by North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension and the awards are sponsored by the North Carolina Soybean Producers Association.

For achieving the top yield in the state in 2017, Matthews Family Farms received a plaque and one expense-paid trip to Commodity Classic, the national conference and trade show for the U.S. corn, sorghum, soybean and wheat industries, in Anaheim, Ca. on Feb. 27-Mar. 1, 2018. Extension agent Tim Hambrick worked with the Matthews’ on their entry. Hambrick receives one expense-paid trip to Commodity Classic for his role in producing the winning yield. Tom Melton, associate director of N.C. Cooperative Extension Service, presented the awards to Kevin Matthews and Hambrick.

For being the first to exceed 100 bushels per acre in North Carolina, Matthews won a contest established by the North Carolina Soybean Producers Association in 2006 and was awarded $5,000. John Fleming, president of the North Carolina Soybean Producers Association, presented the $5,000 prize to Matthews.

Fleming also recognized Doug and Billy Mercer of Pasquotank Co., who also achieved yields over 100 bushels per acre, breaking the previous state record for yield. The Mercers placed second in the 2017 yield contest with 100.2 bushels per acre. The Pasquotank Co. soybean agent assisting with production was Al Wood. The Mercers received the second place award together.

Steve Meads of Pasquotank Co. received the third place award with a yield of 97.7 bushels per acre. The soybean extension agent was Al Wood.

Area winners in the yield contest were:

(Southern Coastal Plain) – Locklear Brothers Farm of Robeson Co., 91.9 bushels per acre; Mac Malloy was the agent.

(Southern Piedmont) – Jason Smith of Rowan Co., 88.9 bushels per acre; Morgan Watts was the agent.

(Northern Coastal Plain) – John and Hunter Langdon of Johnston Co., 88.3 bushels per acre; Tim Britton was the agent.

The area yield winners each received a plaque and a $50 cash award from the North Carolina Soybean Producers Association. All soybean growers producing a yield of 70 bushels or more per acre were recognized with a certificate by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. The contest is based on yield from a measured and verified three-acre plot. The previous state record entry of 93.3 bushels per acre was set in 2015 by Glen Pendleton Family Farms of Pasquotank Co.

Cox Brothers Farms of Union Co. Wins Efficiency Contest

In the annual Most Efficient Yield Contest, Cox Brothers Farms of Union Co. placed first in the state with a per bushel cost of $2.70. Dustin Adcock was the agent. He received the first place award on behalf of Cox Brothers Farms from Tom Melton at the Annual Commodity Conference on Jan. 12. Cox Brothers Farms received an expense-paid trip to the Commodity Classic in Anaheim, Ca., Feb. 27-Mar. 1, 2018.

The Most Efficient Yield Contest rewards producers for achieving the lowest cost of production for soybeans on a per bushel basis. Other area winners in the most efficient yield contest were: (Northern Coastal Plain) – Mike Hocutt of Wilson Co., $3.06 per bushel; (Tidewater) – James Allen of Hyde Co., $3.84 per bushel; (Northern Piedmont) – W4 Farms of Surry Co., $4.33 per bushel; and (Southern Coastal Plain) – Quinn Howard of Duplin Co., $4.41 per bushel.

For more information, call Jeff Jennings, Chief Executive Officer of the North Carolina Soybean Producers Association at (919) 839-5700.

The North Carolina Soybean Producers Association is a statewide trade association representing all North Carolina soybean producers, responsible for research, education and promotion programs to benefit the state’s soybean farmers. The association is the qualified state board responsible for administering national soybean checkoff programs in North Carolina. The association is the state affiliate of the American Soybean Association (ASA.)