Get rewarded for that “best idea ever” in the CountryMark/Indiana Prairie Farmer Best Ideas Contest. Explain what you did, why you did it and why it worked. If your idea or decision is judged one of the best, you’ll win Premium Dieselex-4 off-road fuel from CountryMark

One of the contest categories is Crop Production. Here’s an example that shows what type of idea you might submit:

An Indiana strip-tiller intended to burn down rye and then plant into it. As it turned out, a rainy stretch threatened after the rye was sprayed but was still green. The farmer had to make a decision: wait to plant or plant into it green. Farmers who routinely plant into green cover crops say it’s easy. Those who have never done it believe it’s intimidating. Many conservation experts agree.

The farmer ultimately decided to plant into it green. He made adjustments in nitrogen rate and in his normal planting procedure to make it work.

The jury is still out on how this decision will play out. If it works, explaining what happened, why and how would make an excellent entry in the crops production category.

Details and rules
You may enter one of the following three categories.

• Farm management. What is the best decision you ever made for your farm? What went into making that decision? Did you use a technique that you developed on your own?

• Crop Production. What is the best decision you’ve made to either raise yields or cut costs? Who did you turn to for information? The farmer in the cover crop planting scenario consulted a cover crop specialist before making his decision.

• Machinery or technology innovation. Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best. If you’ve devised a way to make a job go more smoothly, prevent breakdowns or prevent injuries, send in your entry. Innovations in both crop production and livestock management are welcome.  

Enter only one category, and one entry per immediate household, please. Anyone 18 years or older as of March 24, 2017, who lives in Indiana may enter.

Describe your best idea in 350 words or less. Submit three high-quality digital, horizontal photos with your entry. Include yourself in at least one of the photos.

First place in each category wins 250 gallons of Premium Dieselex-4 off-road fuel. Second place in each category receives 150 gallons of fuel. 

All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. EDT, July 15. The judging panel will include a farmer. Decision of the judges is final. Any entry submitted may be used online and in print by Indiana Prairie Farmer without compensation. Whether or not an entry is published is at the discretion of the editor.

Email entries to Indiana Prairie Farmer at: [email protected]. Include your first and last name, address, phone number, cellphone number and age. Please clearly mark which category you’re entering.  If you have questions, call Indiana Prairie Farmer at 317-431-8766.

Please read the official rules for the contest before entering.

Indiana Prairie Farmer/CountryMark Best Ideas Contest Official Rules

1. Introduction: Penton Business Media Inc. d/b/a Indiana Prairie Farmer (“Prairie Farmer”) and Countrymark Refining and Logistics, LLC (“CountryMark,” together with Prairie Farmer, the “Sponsors”) are offering the Indiana Prairie Farmer/CountryMark Best Ideas Contest (“Contest”). NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.

2. Eligibility: To be eligible to participate in the Contest, entrant must be (i) a legal resident of the state of Indiana, and (ii) 18 years or older as of March 24, 2017. Employees of Sponsors, their parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies and their family/household members (defined as parents, spouse, children, siblings, grandparents) are not eligible to enter. Void outside the state of Indiana or where prohibited, taxed, or restricted by law. This Contest is governed exclusively by the laws of the United States. All federal, state and/or local rules and regulations apply.

3. Start/Ends Dates: Contest begins at 12:00 a.m. E.D.T. on March 24, 2017 and ends at 11:59 p.m. E.D.T. on Saturday, July 15, 2017 (the “Contest Period”).

4. How to Enter: Submit entry to Susan Hayhurst, Terre Haute, Indiana, the Sponsors’ designee for receiving entries and facilitating judging of entries, at email address: [email protected]. Include first and last names, age, legal address, phone number and cell phone number, and email address. Provide this information at the time entry is submitted. There is no pre-entry or registration form. A best idea may be submitted in one of three categories: (1) Best idea related to a farm management decision; (2) Best idea related to a crop management decision; or (3) Best idea concerning a mechanical or electronic innovation or modification you have made on the farm.

Entrant may submit ONE entry only in ONE category only. Limit one entry per person, per email address and only one entry per immediate household (defined as participant, spouse and any children still living within entrant’s home). Submitted entry must include (i) description of “best idea” (not to exceed 350 words) AND three high quality, large format, digital horizontal photos. Entrant’s picture must be included in at least one of the photos. All entries must be received during the Contest Period.  Sponsors are the official time keeper for the Contest, and all decisions of Contest judges are final.  More than one entry from any person or e-mail address will void all entries from that person or e-mail address.  No automated entry devices and/or programs permitted.  Sponsors are not responsible for lost, late, illegible, stolen, incomplete, invalid, unintelligible, misdirected, technically corrupted or garbled entries, which will be disqualified, or for problems of any kind whether mechanical, human or electronic , including, but not limited to, bugs or malfunctions, that entrants may encounter when submitting an entry or participating in the Contest.  Proof of submission will not be deemed to be proof of receipt by Sponsors.   Entrants must accurately provide all required contact information.  All entries, including descriptions and photographs, must be fully original creations of the entrants.  By entering, all entrants warrant and represent that their respective entries are their own fully original creations, and their respective entries (including all materials integrated into their entries) do not infringe or violate the rights of any third parties, including but not limited to copyrights, trademarks, or rights of publicity/privacy.  Sponsors reserve the right to reject any entries deemed, in their sole discretion, to be inappropriate, for any reason whatsoever.

5. Judging Criteria: Prize winners will be selected by a panel of judges appointed by Sponsors based on the following criteria: (i) 34% for originality of idea submitted; (ii) 33% for description of value of the idea to the contestant and others; and (iii) 33% for how well the idea is explained in photographs and captions. The Contest will take place under the supervision of Sponsors. Participants agree to be bound by these rules and the decision of the judges, whose decisions are final.  Potential winners will be notified by e-mail on or about August 15, 2017. Each entrant selected as a potential winner must comply with all terms and conditions set forth in these Official Rules, and winning is contingent upon fulfilling all such requirements. 

6. Prizes: Two prizes will be awarded in each of the three categories for a total of six prizes (i.e., three first prizes and three second prizes).

First Prize winner in each category will receive 250 gallons of CountryMark Premium Dieselex-4 off-road fuel delivered to winner’s business. Approximate retail value of each first prize is $500.

Second Prize winner in each category will receive 150 gallons of CountryMark Premium Dieselex-4 off-road fuel delivered to winner’s business. Approximate retail value of each second prize is $300.

Total Approximate Retail Value of All Prizes combined: $2,400

Sponsors make no warranties with regard to the prizes. Prizes are non-transferable and must be accepted as awarded. In the event that a prize cannot be awarded for any reason, Sponsors may, in their sole discretion, substitute a prize of equal or greater value. All taxes, fees and surcharges on prizes are the sole responsibility of winners. Each prize winner is solely responsible for the fuel storage tanks necessary to store the fuel awarded as the prize. Each Contest entrant hereby irrevocably waives the right to assert as a cost of receiving any prize any and all costs of verification and redemption to redeem such prize, if any, and any liability which might arise from redeeming or seeking to redeem such prize.  Prizes will only be delivered to addresses in Indiana.

7. Entries: All entries, including submitted written material and photographs, become the property of Prairie Farmer, and will not be returned. All entries much be original, may not have won previous prizes, and must not infringe on any third party rights. Submission of entry constitutes entrant’s consent to irrevocably assign to Prairie Farmer any and all rights to the entry including, but not limited to, intellectual property rights. Submission of an entry grants Prairie Farmer and its designees and licensees the right to modify and edit the entry and to use, adapt, reproduce, publish, display and distribute the entry worldwide, in perpetuity, in any and all media, now existing or hereafter developed, without compensation to the entrant.

8. Affidavit of Eligibility/Release: Potential winners may be required to execute an Affidavit of Eligibility/Liability Release and where lawful, a Publicity Release within 14 days of prize notification.  If the winner cannot be contacted within seven (7) calendar days of first notification attempt, if prize or prize notification is returned as undeliverable, if winner rejects his/her prize, or in the event of non-compliance with these Contest rules and requirements, the prize will be forfeited and an alternate winner will be selected from all remaining eligible entries.  Upon prize forfeiture, no compensation will be given.

9. Conditions: Entry constitutes permission to use the winner’s name, picture, likeness, and city and state of residence for purposes of trade, publicity, or promotion for no additional compensation except where prohibited by law. By participating, entrants and winners agree to release and hold harmless Sponsors, and their parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotions agencies, partners, representatives, agents, successors, assigns, employees, officers and directors, from any and all liability, for loss, harm, damage, injury, cost or expense whatsoever, including without limitation, property damage, personal injury and/or death which may occur in connection with, preparation for, or participation in Contest, or possession, acceptance and/or use or misuse of prize or participation in any Contest-related activity, and for any claims based on publicity rights, defamation or invasion of privacy and merchandise delivery. Sponsors are not responsible if Contest cannot take place or if any prize cannot be awarded due to delays or interruptions, acts of God, acts of war, natural disasters, weather, or acts of terrorism. Sponsors reserve the right to suspend, cancel or modify these Official Rules as necessary for any reason or as required by applicable law.  Any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with the Contest or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action.

10. Miscellaneous: All entries become the sole property of Sponsors, and none will be returned. In the event of a dispute, entries submitted by Internet will be deemed made by the authorized account holder of the e-mail address submitted at the time of entry. The "authorized account holder" is deemed the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, service provider or other online organization that is responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. A potential winner may be requested to provide Sponsors with proof that he/she is the authorized account holder of the e-mail address associated with the winning entry. If for any reason the Contest is not capable of running as planned, including due to infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failure, human error or any other causes beyond the control of Sponsors that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of the Contest, Sponsors reserve the right in their sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process, and to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest. Sponsors assume no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft, destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, entries. Sponsors are not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers, or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of any e-mail or entry to be received by Sponsors on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any web site, any combination thereof, or otherwise, including any injury or damage to entrant's or any other person's computer related to or resulting from participation or downloading any materials in the Contest. Sponsors may prohibit an entrant from participating in the Contest, in Sponsors’ sole discretion, if Sponsors determine that said entrant is attempting to undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest by cheating, hacking, deception, or other unfair playing practices (including the use of automated quick entry programs) or intending to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other entrants or Sponsors’ representatives.

CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN ENTRANT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEB SITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS, AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSORS RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

11. Use of Data: Prairie Farmer will be collecting personal data about entrants in accordance with its privacy policy, which is hereby incorporated herein.  Please review Prairie Farmer’s privacy policy at http://www.penton.com/privacy-policy/. Entrants hereby acknowledge that they have read and accepted Prairie Farmer’s privacy policy and agree to Prairie Farmer’s collection and usage of their personal information in accordance with such privacy policy.

12. List of Winners: Names of winners will be published in the October 2017 issue of Indiana Prairie Farmer and will be available on the indianaprairiefarmer.com website on or about October 1, 2017.

13. Sponsors: The Sponsors of this Contest are Penton Business Media, Inc. d/b/a Indiana Prairie Farmer with address at P.O. Box 247, Franklin, IN 46131 and Countrymark Refining and Logistics, LLC with address at 225 South East Street, Suite 144, Indianapolis, IN 46202.