State Leads National Competition Based on Harvest Outcomes
Kansas growers earned eight of 11 national honors in the National Sorghum Producers Sorghum Yield and Management Contest. Farmers from 23 states entered this year’s contest, which posted winners in non-irrigated and irrigated categories. Edwards County grower Ki Gamble earned the top spot with a top yield of 215 bushels per acre.
Gamble topped all entries with a yield of 215 bushel per acre in the Reduced-Till Irrigated category using Pioneer 84G62 seed. The high yield earned Gamble the Irrigated Bin Buster Award. Gamble was also the Irrigated National Food-Grade category winner with a yield of 194.92 bushels per acre with seed variety Nusun 345.
Gamble is no stranger to top honors in this competition, having won the conventional till irrigated division and the irrigated national food grade division in 2012. He has been a national winner in previous years as well.
Cloud County’s Gary Resco topped the No-Till Non-Irrigated category with a yield of 176.39 bushels per acre using Pioneer 84P80. Kimberly Gamble of Kiowa County earned first place in the Mulch-Till Non-Irrigated category with a yield of 175.65 bushels per acre with Mycogen 627 while David Justice of Cherokee County won the Conventional-Till Non-Irrigated category with a yield of 144.84 bushels per acre with Pioneer 84G62. Darrol Miller Farm, Inc. of Comanche County won the Double Crop Irrigated category with a yield of 153.42 bushels per acre using Dekalb DKS37-07. Ben Cramer of Lane County won the Non-Irrigated National Food-Grade category with a yield of 75.43 bushels per acre with Sorghum Partners SP3303.
The annual competition scores entries among the nation’s sorghum producing states. Kansas is the nation’s top grain sorghum producing state. Division winners are scored based on how their yield compares to their county average, while the bin buster awards are based solely on yield. State and national winners will be recognized at the NSP Yield and Management Contest awards dinner during the 2014 Commodity Classic set for February 27 – March 1 in San Antonio, Texas.
The complete list of Kansas winners are as follows:
KANSAS REDUCED-TILL IRRIGATED
| Name | Yield | Score | Seed | |
| 1st | Ki Gamble, Edwards Co. | 215.00 | 215.00 | Pioneer 84G62 |
| 2nd | Tom Taylor Investments, Kiowa Co. | 193.11 | 193.11 | DEKALB DKS53-67 |
| 3rd | Darrol Miller Farm, Inc., Comanche Co. | 169.18 | 169.18 | DEKALB DKS53-67 |
KANSAS NO-TILL NON-IRRIGATED
| Name | Co. Avg. | Yield | Score | Seed | |
| 1st | Gary Resco, Cloud Co. | 92.4 | 176.39 | 83.99 | Pioneer 84P80 |
| 2nd | Brenner Bros., Ness Co. | 53.8 | 136.02 | 82.22 | Pioneer 86G08 |
| 3rd | Came Farms, Inc., Saline Co. | 69.6 | 146.93 | 77.33 | Pioneer 84G62 |
MULCH-TILL NON-IRRIGATED
| Name | Co. Avg. | Yield | Score | Seed | |
| 1st | Kimberly Gamble, Kiowa Co. | 68.0 | 75.65 | 107.65 | Mycogen 627 |
| 2nd | Darrol Miller Farm, Inc., Comanche Co. | 45.8 | 118.01 | 72.21 | DEKALB DKS37-07 |
| 3rd | Long Farms | 99.8 | 151.02 | 51.22 |
DOUBLE CROP IRRIGATED
| Name | Yield | Score | Seed | |
| 1st | Darrol Miller Farm, Inc., Comanche Co. | 153.42 | 153.42 | DEKALB DKS37-07 |
| 2nd | Bibb and Nighswonger, Comanche Co. | 117.47 | 117.47 | DEKALB DKS29-28 |
CONVENTIONAL TILL NON-IRRIGATED
| Name | Co. Avg. | Yield | Score | Seed | |
| 1st | David Justice, Cherokee Co. | 37.4 | 144.84 | 107.44 | Pioneer 84G62 |
| 2nd | Jay Justice, Cherokee Co. | 37.4 | 127.37 | 89.97 | Pioneer 84G62 |
| 3rd | Justin Short, Saline Co. | 69.6 | 148.55 | 78.95 | Pioneer 84P80 |
CONVENTIONAL TILL IRRIGATED
| Name | Yield | Score | Seed | |
| 1st | Taylor Equipment, Kiowa Co. | 176.62 | 176.62 | DEKALB DKS53-67 |
| 2nd | Galen Berning, Wichita Co. | 154.90 | 154.90 | Pioneer 84G62 |
| 3rd | Gerald Hull, Stevens Co. | 145.88 | 145.88 | Sorghum Partners KS 585/C |
