Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the cancellation of World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wis., the 37th World Forage Analysis Superbowl Awards Luncheon was held virtually on Sept. 30 in Fort Atkinson, Wis.

Doug Harland with Dairyland Laboratories Inc. said a total of 266 entries from 16 states were evaluated for the 2020 World Forage Analysis Superbowl. Winners shared cash prizes totaling more than $26,000. Awards were presented to the top five finishers in each category during the virtual event.

Mike Rankin, editor of Hay & Forage Grower magazine, said contest organizers were quite pleased with the number and quality of entries this year.

“Haymaking goes on whether we have a pandemic or not,” Rankin said. “Last spring, the committee decided we were going to have a contest no matter if there was a show or not. It doesn’t look like the pandemic impacted forage quality this year.”

And the winners are …

Several producers received a number of awards for their entries in this year’s competition. With a relative forage quality of 405 and a milk-per-ton score of 4,062 pounds, David Hinman of Hardrock Farms, Wheatland, Wyo., was named Grand Champion Forage Producer with his Commercial Hay entry and was presented $2,500 from Kemin Animal Nutrition & Health. The Grand Champion First-Time Entrant cash award of $2,000, sponsored by Kuhn North America, was presented to Dividing Ridge Farm, Fairhope, Pa.

Additionally, two Quality Counts Awards were presented to competitors. In the area of Quality Counts Corn Silage, Johnson Farms LLC, Daggett, Mich., took home top honors. The top award for the Quality Counts Hay/Haylage went to Lazy 2K, Wheatland, Wyo., and was sponsored by Croplan by WinField. Each of these growers received a check for $2,000.

Following is a list of winners and the number of entries in each category. The grand champion (first-place winner) in each category received a check for $1,500. The top five placings from each category are:

Baleage, sponsored by Agri-King Inc. (19 entries)

Commercial Hay, sponsored by NexGrow Alfalfa (13 entries)

Dairy Hay, sponsored by W-L Alfalfa (13 entries)

Grass Hay, sponsored by Barenbrug USA (13 entries)

Alfalfa Haylage, sponsored by Ag-Bag by RCI (39 entries)

Mixed/Grass Haylage, sponsored by Lallemand Animal Nutrition (14 entries)

Standard Corn Silage, sponsored by Scherer Inc. (26 entries)

BMR Corn Silage, sponsored by Brevant seeds (129 entries)

In addition to the division and special awards sponsors listed here, the 2020 World Forage Analysis Superbowl was made possible by platinum sponsor Brevant seeds. Additional support was provided by general sponsors New Holland, National Hay Association, Passion Ag Inc. and Provimi.

The World Forage Analysis Superbowl is organized in partnership with Dairyland Laboratories Inc., Hay & Forage Grower, U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, University of Wisconsin and World Dairy Expo. To learn more, visit foragesuperbowl.org.