There’s only one more day left for corn growers to show off their skills in the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) National Corn Yield Contest. The deadline for entries is Aug.1.

More than 2,000 growers have already signed up. A record 3,581 growers participated in the year 2000.

“Normally there’s a lull in entries in the weeks leading up to the final deadline” said Max Starbuck, director of Production, Stewardship and Livestock for the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA). “That’s not happening this year. The level of participation is exceptional.”

Corn growers have two ways to enter the contest: Online or by mail. For more registration information, click here.< http://www.ncga.com/CYC/main/index.asp>

Growers may compete in as many categories as they wish. However, each field entered must be classed in only one production category. There are nine categories:

• A Non-irrigated class
• AA Non-irrigated class
• A No Till/Strip Till Non-irrigated
• AA No Till/Strip Till Irrigated
• No Till/Strip Till Non-irrigated
• A Ridge Till Non-irrigated
• AA Ridge Till Non-irrigated
• Ridge Till Irrigated
• Irrigated

Class AA includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin. Class A is for all other states. No-till irrigated, ridge-till irrigated and irrigated classes comprise all states.

The NCYC is the largest agricultural production contest in the United States. In 2006, 3,157 growers from 46 states competed in nine categories. The national NCYC winners will be honored at the Commodity Classic, the combined convention and trade show of NCGA, the American Soybean Association and the National Association of Wheat Growers, and featured in a special edition of Farm Journal magazine.