The annual Kansas Soybean Expo on Jan. 10 brought farmers together from across the state to hear speakers and see their colleagues recognized for outstanding yield achievements.

Former U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., was the featured speaker for the luncheon. He was also recognized by the Kansas Soybean Association with its Meritorious Service Award for his work on behalf of Kansas soybean farmers during his tenure in Washington, D.C.

Roberts was first elected to represent the 1st Congressional District of Kansas in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1980. In 1996, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, and he announced he would not seek re-election in 2019. During his public service, Roberts had the distinction of chairing the agriculture committees of both the U.S. House and Senate.

“Pat Roberts is well-deserving of this award because of his commitment to Kansas agriculture,” Charles Atkinson, Great Bend, said in a statement. “I have had the honor to work with Pat on three farm bills over the years, and he always took time to listen, ask us the hard questions and challenge us as Kansas farmers to engage with other members of the Senate to carry on agriculture’s story.”

Yield contest

The 2023 crop season tested farmers to their limits, yet the Kansas Soybean Yield Contest had 40 participants, up from the 2022 contest.

Brett Froese, Inman, Kan., grew the highest-yielding entry for 2023, with a no-till, irrigated field of Pioneer 42A84E soybeans that yielded 104.2 bushels per acre. Statewide, in second place was George Enze, Inman, with his 94.4 bushels-per-acre entry. In third place was Menold Farms, Hiawatha, with an entry of 92.3 bushels per acre.

Batchelder Farms, Highland, Kan., took home honors for the highest dryland yield, with its entry of conventional-till Xitavo X03922E soybeans that yielded a whopping 101.3 bushels per acre.

In the statewide conventional-till irrigated division, Doug Mills, Hugoton, took home first place with an entry at 102.2 bushels per acre. Chad Penner, Inman, earned second place with an entry of 100.2 bushels per acre. And third place went to Sam Miller, Haven, with an entry of 94.8 bushels per acre.

Chad Neill, Effingham, took home the top place in the statewide value contest. His entry of Pioneer 39A45X soybeans earned a premium of $1.27 over cash value, as calculated by AGP. The value contest analyzes a 20-ounce sample for value-added qualities and then calculates the premium.

Other results included:

North-northeast Conventional-till Dryland. Second place, Gary Diveley, Severance, Kan., 91.4 bushels per acre; third place, Jesse Clark, Robinson, 90.8 bushels per acre.

North-northeast No-till Dryland. First place, Johnson Ag Inc., Bendena, 88 bushels per acre; second place, Paul C. Johnson, Bendena, 85.1 bushels per acre; third place, Alex Noll, Winchester, 80.4 bushels per acre.

Northeast No-till Dryland. First place, Vering Land and Pork, Marysville, 90.7 bushels per acre; second place, Jared Lock, Hiawatha, 87 bushels per acre; third place, Derek Gigstad, Valley Falls, 82.8 bushels per acre.

North Central Conventional-till Dryland. First place, Rod Stewart, Washington, 62.8 bushels per acre.

North Central No-till Dryland: First place, Ryan Stewart, Washington, 62.4 bushels per acre.

East Central No-till Dryland: First place, Robert Litch, Melvern, 59.6 bushels per acre. The entry also earned him second place in the statewide value contest with a premium of $1.26 over cash value.

Southeast Conventional-till Dryland. First place, Roger Draeger, Galena, 79.5 bushels per acre; second place, Chris Payne, Buffalo, 68.6 bushels per acre; third place, Luke Bellar, Mound Valley, 65.1 bushels per acre.

Southeast No-till Dryland. First place, Dalton Draeger, Galena, 73.4 bushels per acre; second place, Bradley and Emily McVey, Fredonia, 69 bushels per acre; third place, Jared Nash, Parsons, 51.9 bushels per acre.

South-central No-till Dryland. First place, Aaron Pauly, Viola, 69.5 bushels per acre; second place, Bruce Seiler, Colwich, 42.1 bushels per acre.

Learn more about the Kansas Soybean Yield and Value contests at kansassoybeans.org/contests.