2024 Grow for the Green Soybean Yield Challenge Application Period Open

Entry deadline is August 1, 2024

LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS

The application for the 14^th annual Grow for the Green Soybean Yield Challenge is open through Thursday, August 1, 2024. Soybean producers in Arkansas are eligible and encouraged to participate in this year’s contest administered by the Arkansas Soybean Association (ASA) and funded by the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board(ASPB), with crop management assistance provided by the University of Arkansas Extension Services (UAEX). 

Producers across the state participating in the competition can win a cash prize for producing the crop with the highest yield in their region. The contest was established to recognize and reward Arkansas’s top soybean producers, collect valuable production data and promote best production practices in the state.

“The Grow for the Green Soybean Yield Challenge is pivotal in promoting the importance of soybean production in Arkansas,” said Derek Helms, GFTG Chairman for the Arkansas Soybean Association and Clark County farmer. “Each year, the soybean industry contributes $2 billion to the state’s economy, and that’s backed by the hard work of soybean producers.”

The 2024 edition of the contest follows the form of previous years in which the state is divided into seven geographic regions or categories, plus one conventional (non-GMO) category, that covers the entire state. These include:

1. Northeast Delta: Mississippi, Crittenden, and East of Crowley’s Ridge in Clay, Greene, Craighead, Poinsett, Cross (east of Crowley’s Ridge) counties
2. Northeast: Randolph, Lawrence and West of Crowley’s Ridge in Clay, Greene, Craighead, Poinsett, Cross (west of Crowley’s Ridge) counties
3. White River Basin: Independence, Jackson, Woodruff, White, Monroe counties
4. Central & Grand Prairie: Pulaski, Lonoke, Prairie, Arkansas counties
5. East Central Delta: St. Francis, Lee, Phillips, Desha (Snow Lake Area) counties
6. Southeast Delta: Jefferson, Lincoln, Drew, Ashley, Chicot, Desha counties
7. Western: Remainder of the state
8. Conventional Division: Entire State non-GMO production

Cash prizes for each category will be awarded to the top three producers at the ASA Annual Meeting in January 2025. Entries are limited to one field per household in each division. Household is defined as husband and wife.

First-place contestants in each category will receive a cash prize of $7,500, second-place contestants will receive $5,000, and third-place contestants will collect $2,500. Producers who achieve 100 bushels for the first time are eligible to receive a portion of an additional $5,000 in prize money and a paid registration to the 2025 Commodity Classic in Denver, Colorado. For existing members of the 100 Bushel Club, producers will compete in a category against each other for a $5,000 grand prize. All previous winners who have achieved 100 bushels compete against each other in a separate champions division.

This year, all participating producers are asked to submit harvest reports within 48 hours of harvest and complete agronomic production data by Wednesday, November 15, 2024. Those who submit all harvest and agronomic data but do not place in their division will be awarded $200 and entered in a drawing for a trip to the 2025 Commodity Classic.

“Producers who participate in the contest represent the best in the Arkansas soybean industry,” said John Freeman, Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board chairman and Desha County producer. “Their dedication to agriculture and work in advancing our industry deserves our recognition and appreciation.”

Production data and contest results from 2023 and previous years are available. Entry forms and contest rules are available upon request from your local county extension agent or by contacting the ASA office at 501-666-1418. Applications can also be downloaded.  ∆