Black earns national recognition

An area corn grower has been honored as a state winner in the 2007 National Corn Yield Contest (NCYC,) sponsored annually by the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA.)

Lamar Black of Millen placed third in the state in the No Till/ Strip Till Irrigated Class with a yield of 257.967 bushels per acre. The hybrid used in the winning field was Pioneer 31D58.

The local grower was one of 529 state winners nationwide. The 2007 contest had a record 4,932 entries from 46 states. Of the state winners, 27 growers - or three from each of nine classes - were named national winners, representing 12 states.

The average yield among national winners was 298.7 bushels per acre - greater than the 218.6 bushels per acre average for all entrants, and more than the 2007 U.S. average of 151.1 bushels per acre. Twenty-four entrants recorded yields of 300 bushels or more per acre.