75 bushels per acre - Soybean Yield Challenge

Soybean Yield CHALLENGE

Grain Farmers of Ontario 100 Stone Road West, Suite 201 Guelph, ON N1G 5L3 Tel: 1-800-265-0550 www.gfo.ca

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Winning yield tops 75 bushels in the GFO Soybean Yield Challenge

Ingersoll, Ontario – Winners of the Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) Soybean Yield Challenge were announced today at a Yield Seminar in Ingersoll. Three finalists for each of three provincial soybean maturity zones received prizes, for a total of nine winners.

"The challenge is in its second year and has been met with great enthusiasm," says Dale Petrie, Director of Strategic Development and Innovation at GFO. "We had 75 farmers enter the competition this year, which is up from the 45 participants last year."

In addition to increased participation, the yield also increased this year. "The top yield is over 75 bushels per acre, three bushels more than the top yield last year," says Crosby Devitt, Manager of Research and Innovation with GFO.

The winners in each zone received a cash price and all winners and runners up received a leather jacket to commemorate their win.

The 2009 GFO Soybean Yield Challenge winners are:

Zone 1 – 2700 CHU and Under Winner: John Nanne, Pakenham - 66.1 bushels per acre 1st Runner Up: Hans Steen, Staffa - 57.3 bushels per acre 2nd Runner Up: Dan Shantz, Petersburg - 55.7 bushels per acre

Zone 2 – 2725 CHU to 3000 CHU Winner: Ceresmore Farms Ltd., Bowmanville - 59.9 bushels per acre 1st Runner Up: Jim Williams, Bradford - 57.8 bushels per acre 2nd Runner Up: Robert Hodgins, Lucan - 57.4 bushels per acre

Zone 3 – 3025 CHU and Above Winner: Clayton Crow , Dover Centre - 75.7 bushels per acre 1st Runner Up: Josh Mailloux, Amherstburg - 63.9 bushels per acre 2nd Runner Up: Wayne Paling, Dresden - 60.7 bushels per acre GFO is the newest and largest commodity organization in Ontario, representing Ontario’s 28,000 corn, soybean and wheat farmers. The three crops cover 5 million acres of farm land across the province, generate over $2.5 billion in farm gate receipts, result in over $9 billion in economic output, and are responsible for over 40,000 jobs in the province. GFO is poised to have a significant impact on Ontario agriculture.

The Soybean Yield Challenge and Grain Farmers of Ontario would like to thank our sponsors Maizex Seeds Inc., NK Seeds, Pioneer Hi-Bred, PRO Seeds, Genuity, Becker Underwood and SeCan.

CONTACT: Claire Cowan, Communications Crosby Devitt, Research

ccowan@ontariocorn.org crosby.devitt@ontariowheatboard.com

519-837-9144 519-955-2767