With the 2018 soybean season setting records in Illinois and other states, it is no surprise that several producers topped 100 bushels per acre (bu/A) in the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) checkoff program’s annual Yield Challenge competition.....and several of those farmers are located in central Illinois.

In its eighth year, 66 entries were considered for top honors in four contests—the 100-Bushel Challenge, Crop Region Contest, Double-Crop Challenge and Side-by-Side Contest.

Proving this year to be an exceptional one for soybeans, 15 producers harvested soybeans surpassing 100 bu/A with another 30 breaking the 90 bu/A mark.

Taking the top honor and out-yielding last year’s winner by less than a bushel, Paul Klein of Seymour, Illinois, won the 100-Bushel Challenge with 110.94 bu/A on his Champaign County field.

In the irrigated category, Greg McClure, of St. Francesville, broke the century mark with 110.19 bu/A. Winners of the irrigated and non-irrigated categories will each receive a grand prize of $4,000.

Entrants in the 100-Bushel Challenge must have the grain weighed on a certified commercial scale, submit original scale ticket and have yield verified by two witnesses, one provided by ISA.

Other area producers that surpassed 100 bu/A in the 100-Bushel Challenge are:

Joe Klein, of Seymour; Marc Padrutt, of Decatur, and Duane Noland, of Blue Mound.

The 2018 Crop Region Contest winners in Region 2 are: Chuck Walsh, of Bement, at 112.48 bu/A; and Joe Klein, of Seymour, at 106.28 bu/A.  First-place winners of the Crop Region Contest will receive $1,000 each.

Yield Challenge winners and top achievers will be recognized in Springfield, Illinois, Feb. 4th, at an Awards Banquet hosted on the eve of the 2019 Soybean Summit. The Summit will be held at the Crowne Plaza Springfield on Feb. 5th.