Several seed companies conduct contests or challenges for growers. Others encourage their customers to enter the National Corn Growers Association yield contest each year.

Seed Consultants, Inc., Washington Courthouse, Ohio, sponsors contests for their own customers. Actually, they offer contests in four categories. These include: 2014 Project 300 Corn Yield contest; 2014 Project 100 Soybean yield contest; the 2014 Soybean Double-crop yield contest; and the 2014 Corn Test Weight Contest.

Stu Yensel, marketing director, recently announced the winners. Seed Consultants, Inc., sells primarily in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan.

A Hoosier wins! Marlon Corwin, pictured, took third place in Seed Consultants, Inc., Project 100 soybean yield contest. James Berger, also a Hoosier, won the test weight contest.

Marlon Corwin, New Palestine, took third place in the Project 100 soybean yield contest. Using the SCS 9328RR variety, he posted a yield of 69.4 bushels per acre. He finished behind Nathan Phillips, Gambier, Ohio, who took first with nearly 85 bushels per acre, and David Fisher, London, Ohio, who was second at 82 bushels per acre.

The winner in Seed Consultants corn division actually pushed the Project 300 goal of 300 bushels per acre. And he lives in Maryland. Tim Bishop won the contest with a yield of just over 292 bushels per acre.

Triple K Farms of Maria Stein, Ohio took second with 275 bushels per acre, and Matt Milless finished in third place with 256.4 bushels per acre. He farms near Amanda, Ohio.

Very few companies offer contests for high yields in double-crop soybeans. A sizable share of Seed Consultants marketing area is suitable for double-crop soybeans. John Wyler from Fresna, Ohio, won the contest with just under 49 bushels per acre of double-crop soybeans on his farm.

Seed Consultants also offers a contest in a category not often recognized today. They congratulate a winner in the test weight contest. The award goes to the customer recording the highest test weight of corn.

Another Hoosier captured this honor. James Berger, Hagerstown, recorded a test weight of 64.8 pounds per bushel with SCS 11HXX19 hybrid corn.

Dave Nanda, crops consultant, says test weight doesn't correlate with high yield in many cases. However, 64.8 pounds per bushel is an extremely high test weight. The test weight minimum for number one corn is 56 pounds per bushel.