Harrington, Del. farmer Dale Blessing clocked a yield of 82.08 bushels per acre of irrigated soybean to win the statewide full season soybean yield contest sponsored by the Delaware Soybean Board.

Fred West of Laurel was the statewide double crop soybean yield winner with 74.15 bushels per acre. Both Blessing and West garnered $1,000 prizes for their winning entries.

 “In 2015 we had an excellent growing season and that, combined with the skill of these growers, lead to these outstanding yields,” said Jay Baxter, a farmer from Georgetown and DSB chairman. “We want to encourage all growers to participate.”

County winners in the contest included Howard Clendaniel of Sussex County with 80.17 bushels per acre of dryland full season beans; Kevin Evans of Sussex County with 71.49 bushels per acre of irrigated double crop beans, and Dale Scuse of Kent County with 65.15 bushels per acre of irrigated full season beans. Each of the county winners received a $250 prize. There were no entries for double crop beans in Kent Count and no entries from New Castle County.

Delaware farmers plant about 180,000 acres of soybeans each year, and the crop generates approximately $60 million in value to the state. Delaware’s agricultural industry contributes about $8 billion per year to the Delaware economy.