Several Franklin County residents were named winners of the National Corn Yield Contest this year, with winning fields located in three different states.

■Northfield resident Frederick Llewelyn placed first in New Hampshire (where the winning field was located) in the A: Conventional Non-Irrigated Class with a yield of 306.83 bushels per acre.

■Dan Llewelyn of Northfield placed second in Massachusetts in the A: Conventional Non-Irrigated Class with a yield of 260.25 bushels per acre.

■Matthew Llewelyn of Greenfield placed first in Massachusetts in the C: No-Till Non-Irrigated Class with a yield of 252.98 bushels per acre.

■Wanda Llewelyn of Northfield placed first in Massachusetts in the E: Strip-Till, Minimum-Till, Mulch-Till, Ridge-Till Non-Irrigated Class with a yield of 297.24 bushels per acre.

■Jack Letourneau of Northfield placed first in New Hampshire in the I: Conventional Irrigated Class with a yield of 243.16 bushels per acre.

■Greenfield resident Brian Llewelyn placed first in Vermont in the I: Conventional Irrigated Class with a yield of 232.59 bushels per acre.

■And finally, Northfield resident William Llewelyn placed first in Massachusetts in the I: Conventional Irrigated Class with a yield of 299.25 bushels per acre; as well as first in New Hampshire in the E: Strip-Till, Minimum-Till, Mulch-Till, Ridge-Till Non-Irrigated Class, with a yield of 260.93 bushels per acre.

In their respective categories, the Franklin County residents were one of 538 state winners nationwide. The 2022 contest included 6,447 entries from 46 states, according to a National Corn Yield Contest statement. Of the state winners, 27 growers were named national winners, representing 12 states.

“Year after year, farmer participants contribute to building a better crop for tomorrow,” Tom Hagg, a Minnesota farmer and president of the National Corn Growers Association, said in a statement. “By exploring adaption, innovation and the tools new technologies offer, farmers sharpen their game and set new standards for the industry. One thing I know about corn farmers is how much they love to push themselves to be their best. The 2022 [National Corn Yield Contest] winners’ class is no exception. This group grew corn like champions.”

The average yield among national winners was more than 340.72 bushels per acre — more than double the projected 2022 United States average of 172 bushels per acre.

For more than half a century, the National Corn Growers Association’s National Corn Yield Contest has provided corn growers with the opportunity to compete with their colleagues to grow the most corn per acre. The association represents nearly 40,000 members, 50 state corn grower and checkoff organizations, and more than 300,000 corn farmers who contribute to state checkoff programs.

All 2022 contest winners were invited to attend the 2023 Commodity Classic held March 9 to 11 in Orlando, Florida. For a complete list of winners and for more information about the National Corn Yield Contest, visit ncga.com.

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