December 16 – Ovid, Mich. – Great Lakes Hybrids won 18 state champions out of its 52 entries in the 2005 National Corn Growers Association’s National Corn Yield Contest. Great Lakes had six winners in Kentucky, three in Michigan and Tennessee, two each in Illinois and Ohio and one in Indiana and Missouri.

For the past 21 years, Great Lakes has the highest winning percentage of every major seed company, winning more than one out of every five times entered. The Great Lakes Hybrids champions will be honored at the Commodity Classic this March in Anaheim, CA.

“We’ve had 74 champions in the past three years alone,” says Mike Stephenson, general manager. “Our proprietary products are leading the way, showcasing the investment we have in our own genetic corn breeding programs.”

Since 1990, Great Lakes Hybrids produced 1,033 entries in the NCGA Corn Yield Contest, with 231 achieving the yields necessary to become state or national champions. The Great Lakes hybrid has won nearly 25-percent of the time.

“Great performance in an unbiased national contest shows the strength of the breeding program we’ve been developing for years,” said Mitch Ray, product manager. “Midwestern farmers demand performance, and the Great Lakes Hybrids line-up has proven itself in an elite, national competition for the last 21 years.”

“With 74 wins in 186 entries over the past three years… that’s a winning percentage of nearly 40-percent. Those are pretty good odds in today’s marketplace.” adds Stephenson.

18 Great Lakes Champions in the 2005 National Corn Yield Contest

Place	Grower	City	State	Class	Hybrid	Yield
1st	Leo Ratcliff	Lacon	IL	No-till irrigated	5961BtRR	251.0523
1st	Jerry Griffith	Mayfield	KY	Ridge-till non-irrigated	6550Bt	224.7382
1st	John Griffith	Mayfield	KY	Ridge-till irrigated	6444Bt	221.5037
1st	Charles Eickholt	Chesaning	MI	No-till non-irrigated	5300Bt	244.7042
1st	Randy Valentine	Puryear	TN	Ridge-till Irrigated	5961Bt	200.2138
1st	Jim Motycka	Napoleon	OH	No-till irrigated	6344Bt	228.8518
1st	Hardy Bros.	Roanoke	IN	Ridge-till non-irrigated	6192BtCL	242.5470
1st	Kent Breedlove	Manito	IL	Ridge-till irrigated	6444Bt	230.2520
2nd	Patty Griffith	Mayfield	KY	No-till irrigated	6192	221.9636
2nd	Pete Crawford	Dansville	MI	No-till irrigated	4689BtRR	234.8074
2nd	Larry Meienburg	Malinta	OH	No-till irrigated	5961	224.2937
2nd	Daniel J Woosley	Calhoun	KY	Ridge-till non-irrigated	6298CL	207.1643
2nd	Hinkebein Farms	Chaffee	MO	Ridge-till irrigated	5961Bt	249.6036
2nd	Sue Ann Cloar	Dyersburg	TN	Irrigated	5691Bt	217.2175
3rd	Golden Valley Farms	Jasper	MI	A non-irrigated	5961	246.9272
3rd	John Woosley	Calhoun	KY	Ridge-till irrigated	5961	185.8820
3rd	Deanna Reems	South Fulton	TN	Ridge-till non-irrigated	6298CL	214.4041
3rd	Reba Griffith	Mayfield	KY	Irrigated	6444Bt	220.8005

The NCGA Corn Yield Contest is an annual national competition among corn producers with the goal of producing the highest yields. Growers compete within a broad range of corn production classes. Great Lakes Hybrids is the largest Michigan-based seed corn supplier and a brand of AgReliant Genetics, LLC. With the industry’s third-largest research program, Great Lakes Hybrids and AgReliant Genetics have been able to produce top-performing conventional genetics for incorporation of new transgenic traits. Great Lakes Hybrids has also produced more winners per entry of any other Midwestern seed company in the National Corn Grower’s annual Corn Yield Contest. For the latest information or to find local dealers, visit www.greatlakeshybrids.com or call 1-800-257-SEED (7333).

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