Legend in the Making

Each year, the National Corn Growers Association hosts a producer contest to determine the leading corn yields throughout the U.S.

I got the chance to join the winning producers for a night at the legendary Ryman Auditorium, which is the original theater for the Grand Ole Opry. Country music legends like Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, George Jones all performed at the Ryman.

So last night, the DEKALB Yield winners got the chance to stand on the very same stage. I'd say that's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! These winners are well-deserving because they represent the best of the best, and they've certainly put in the hard work to get here!

To give you an idea of the scope here are a few stats:

• Growers from 32/50 states won with yields from DEKALB seed
• Seven DEKALB growers were national winners
• The total national awards increased by five from last year
  

One of these winners is William Travis Duncan of Salisbury, MO. He represented Missouri by winning first place in the state contest. He's been farming on his own for 12 years, but says this award is a real accomplishment. He hopes to continue increasing his yields and applying for the contest.

On a side note, let me give a "shout out" to Megan Cooper for being the seed sales rep in the Salisbury area. She's a product of Mizzou Ag Journalism and also an alum of Sigma Alpha, professional agriculture sorority. Not that I'm bias or anything...