2023 Kansas Corn Yield Contest Winners Honored
Finney County farmer Ryan Jagels and Pottawatomie County farmer Jeff Koelzer were the overall winners of the 2023 Kansas Corn Yield Contest, turning in the state’s top dryland and irrigated yields, both exceeding 320 bushels per acre. Eight contest entries broke the 300 bushel per acre mark. The state and district winners were recognized at the Kansas Corn Symposium in January.
“The Kansas Corn Yield Contest shows the resilience and innovative management practices of our Kansas corn farmers,” said Emily Koop, Director of Grower Services and Market Development. “2023 growing conditions were a mixed bag for our state, with some areas getting adequate moisture, while others experienced drought conditions. We appreciate the efforts of all the contestants to showcase their best crops.”
Koelzer was the overall winner of the dryland division with a yield of 322.37 bushels per acre. Koelzer also placed third in the National Corn Yield Contest with this entry in Strip, Minimum, Mulch, Ridge-Till Non-Irrigated division. Jagels was the overall winner of the irrigated division with a yield of 321.46 bushels per acre.
The Kansas Corn Yield Contest is sponsored by Kansas Corn and K-State Research and Extension. The state contest awards dryland and irrigated winners in ten districts, along with one statewide dryland and one statewide irrigated winner.
The Kansas Corn Yield Contest was created to recognize high-yielding Kansas corn farmers and gain information to improve practices and increase efficiency for greater sustainability and profitability. Sharing the data collected among Kansas farmers benchmarks the corn yields and provides information for improving management practices.
2023 Kansas Corn Yield Contest Results
OVERALL STATE YIELD WINNERS
Irrigated: Ryan Jagels, Finney County; Yield: 321.46 bu./acre; Pioneer P1828AM™
Dryland: Jeff Koelzer, Pottawatomie County; Yield 322.37 bu./acre; DEKALB DKC68-35RIB
SOUTHWEST | DISTRICT 3
Dryland
1st Place: Jalen Jagels, Finney County; Yield: 154.21 bu./acre; Pioneer P1370Q™
Irrigated
1st Place: Ryan Jagels, Finney County; Yield: 321.46 bu./acre; Pioneer P1828AM™
2nd Place: Grant Webber, Haskell County; Yield: 317.09 bu./acre; Pioneer P1742Q™
3rd Place: Grant Webber, Haskell County; Yield: 313.85 bu./acre; Pioneer P1718AML™
NORTH CENTRAL | DISTRICT 4
Dryland
1st Place: Rod Stewart, Washington County; Yield: 293.68 bu./acre; Pioneer P1548AM™
2nd Place: Ryan Stewart, Washington County; Yield: 285.73 bu./acre; Pioneer P1413AM™
Irrigated
1st Place: Taylar Bohl, Smith County; Yield: 310.039 bu./acre; DEKALB DKC70-27RIB
2nd Place: Todd Cyr, Cloud County; Yield: 310.036 bu./acre; DEKALB DKC70-27RIB
3rd Place: Faye Cyr, Cloud County; Yield: 305.84 bu./acre; DEKALB DKC70-27RIB
CENTRAL | DISTRICT 5
Dryland
1st Place: Ryan Barta, Rice County; Yield: 138.4 bu./acre; Golden Harvest G16K01-3111
Irrigated
1st Place: Chad Penner, McPherson County; Yield: 279.94 bu./acre; Pioneer P17677AM
2nd Place: Chad Penner, McPherson County; Yield: 278.32 bu./acre; Pioneer P1511AM™
SOUTH CENTRAL | DISTRICT 6
Dryland
1st Place: Aaron Pauly, Sedgwick County; Yield: 218.96 bu./acre; Pioneer P1464AML™
2nd Place: Bruce Seiler, Sedgwick County; Yield: 210.95 bu./acre; DEKALB DKC65-95RIB
3rd Place: Tom Pauly, Sumner County; Yield: 208.41 bu./acre; Golden Harvest G13N18-3111
Irrigated
1st Place: Tony Spexarth, Sedgwick County; Yield 281.52 bu./acre; AgriGold A645-22TRC
2nd Place: Tony Spexarth, Sedgwick County; Yield 277.33 bu./acre; AgriGold A643-52VT2
3rd Place: Bruce Seiler, Sedgwick County; Yield: 276.94 bu./acre; DEKALB DKC70-27RIB
NORTHEAST | DISTRICT 7
Dryland
1st Place: Jeff Koelzer, Pottawatomie County; Yield: 322.37 bu./acre; DEKALB DKC68-35RIB
(National Winner 3rd place Strip, Minimum, Mulch, Ridge-Till Non-Irrigated division)
2nd Place: Alex Noll, Jefferson County; Yield: 305.65 bu./acre; DEKALB DKC68-35RIB
3rd Place: Glenn Heinen, Nemaha County; Yield: 285.26 bu./acre; Pioneer P1511AM™
Irrigated
1st Place: Chris & Myreon Menold, Nemaha County; Yield: 259.996 bu./acre; Pioneer P1742Q™
2nd Place: Jay Armstrong, Atchison County; Yield: 251.11 bu./acre; Pioneer P2042AML™
EAST CENTRAL | DISTRICT 8
Dryland
1st Place: Joe Heathman, Chase County; Yield: 252.13 bu./acre; Taylor Seed Farms 6015
2nd Place: Robert Litch, Osage County; Yield: 244.35 bu./acre; Pioneer P1464AML™
3rd Place: Brandon Litch, Osage County; Yield: 234.07 bu./acre; Pioneer P1464AML™
Irrigated
1st Place: Francis Kelsey, Shawnee County; Yield: 229.77 bu./acre; Taylor Seed Farms 5515
SOUTHEAST | DISTRICT 9
Dryland
1st Place: Chris Payne, Wilson County; Yield: 164.07 bu./acre; AgriGold A6572VT2PRO
NORTH NORTHEAST | DISTRICT 10
Dryland
1st Place: Austin Taylor, Doniphan County; Yield: 288.47 bu./acre; Taylor Seed Farms 9913
2nd Place: Robert Henry, Brown County; Yield: 287.71 bu./acre; Pioneer P1742Q™
3rd Place: Austin Taylor, Doniphan County; Yield: 284.91 bu./acre; Taylor Seed Farms 6015