John Ruff of Monona recognized by National Corn Growers Association

Published by admin on Mon, 07/13/2020 - 9:32am

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) recognized four Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) members as winners of the 2016 National Corn Yield Contest (NCYC) during the 2017 Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas last week.

“NCYC not only grants the participants the recognition that they deserve, it also gives them the opportunity to learn from their peers,” said Kurt Hora a farmer from Washington and current ICGA President. “Today, as those participants work to achieve greatness in the field, they also support the largest grassroots corn association. We congratulate them on their success.”

The National Corn Yield Contest is now in its 52nd year and remains NCGA’s most popular program for members. Taking part in the contest is one of the many benefits of a ICGA membership. In 2016, NCGA received 7,972 entries with 1,233 being from Iowa. National winners from Iowa included:

John Ruff, Monona at 313.28 bu/acre placed third in the AA Non-Irrigated division.

“The contest provides farmers more than just an opportunity for friendly competition; it generates data that impacts future production practices across the industry,” said Brent Hostetler, chair of NCGA’s Stewardship Action Team. “The techniques first developed by contest winners grow into far-reaching advances, helping farmers across the country excel in a variety of situations. Our contest emphasizes innovation both from growers and technology providers, thus enabling us to meet the growing demand for food, feed, and fuel.”

State winners were recognized at the NCYC breakfast and national winners received awards at the NCGA Awards Banquet. Contest winners will also be featured in a special edition of Progressive Farmer magazine. Winners also receive national recognition in publications such as the NCYC Corn Yield Guide, as well as cash trips or other awards from participating sponsoring seed, chemical and crop protection companies.

The Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) is an 7,500-member strong grassroots-driven organization, headquartered in Johnston, Iowa, serving members across the state, and lobbying on agricultural issues on behalf of its farmer members to create opportunities for long-term Iowa corn grower profitability.