How to Apply

Submit the following forms in one of the following ways: mailing to 3103 Bethel Road Starkville, MS 39759, scanning and emailing to dennisr@bellsouth.net, OR completing online via PDF Filler. 

Entry form – Deadline: August 1, 2025

Complete the Entry Form in one of the two ways listed below:

• Download the Entry Form
• Complete the Entry Form Online

Summary of Production Practices Form – Deadline: November 1, 2025

Complete the Summary of Production Practices Form in one of the two ways listed below: 

• Download the Production Practices Form
• Complete Production Practices Form Online

Certification of Yields Form – Deadline: November 1, 2025

Complete the Certification of Yields Form in one of the two ways listed below: 

• Download the Certification of Yields Form
• Complete Certification of Yields Online

Yield Challenge Details

Divisions

• Delta Region - Irrigated
• Delta Region - Non-irrigated 
• Non-Delta Region - Irrigated 
• Non-Delta Region - Non-irrigated

Irrigated: Use of any mechanical or man-made system that allows for watering of crops outside of natural rainfall. 

Non-irrigated: Will use no artificial means of irrigating (i.e. diverting rainwater from ditches or streams) 

Awards

• 1st Place winners in each division will receive $7,500 
• 2nd Place winners in each division will receive $5,000 
• 3rd Place winners in each division will receive $2,500 

All growers entered in the Yield Challenge are asked to submit a Certification of Yield and complete the Production Practices forms. Any growers who submit the required forms and do not place in their division will be awarded $100 for entering and have their names placed in a drawing for $1,000.

Eligibility

• Each contestant submitting a soybean yield challenge entry form must be at least 18 years of age on or before August 1, 2025, must be actively engaged in the day-to-day operations of the soybean entry field, and a certified FSA/operator of the submitted entry field. Grower must attach a copy of FSA Form 578 when submitting the Production Practices form by the November 1, 2025 deadline.
• Contestants must complete Entry Form, Summary of Production Practices Form, and Certification of Yields Form to be eligible for cash awards. Summary of Production Practices and Certification of Yields Forms will be completed after the entry form and can be located at mssoy.org/yield-challenge.
• Prize winners agree to allow the Mississippi Soybean Promotion Board (MSPB) to use field data and production practice information and to appear in person in promotional and educational activities.
• Contestants agree to release a full description of management practices, including but not limited to, fertility, crop protection products, and irrigation practices used on the contest field. Contestants may be contacted for a winner interview and photo.
• Current directors of the Mississippi Soybean Promotion Board and Mississippi State University personnel are not eligible to enter the contest.

Field Criteria

• Contest field must be located within the land boundaries of the state of Mississippi.
• Contest field must be owned or operated by the contestants and easily accessible by a Yield Contest Official (YCO). An YCO includes a Mississippi State University Extension Service County Agent, Area or Regional Extension Specialist, or Mississippi State University Extension Specialist.
• A grower may enter only one field per division per year; however, growers can enter multiple divisions if applicable to their operation.
• Harvest area must consist of 4 straight sides and harvest area must have 4 right angles forming a square or rectangle. One header pass removed on each end and one pass along each side must be removed before starting a supervised harvest. Measure each pass through the field. Reference Certification of Yield Worksheet.
• Harvest area must consist of a minimum of 5 contiguous acres and a maximum of 10 contiguous acres.
• Field must have been planted to soybeans at least one of the last 4 production years prior to 2025 and contestant must have paid the appropriate checkoff assessment on soybeans.

Yield Contest Rules: 

• Harvested soybeans must meet minimum Federal Grain Quality Standards.
• State certified scales including on-farm state certified scales and certified moisture testers must be used for all weighing and measuring processes. Original weigh ticket (no photocopies) must be attached to the Harvest Information Form. Weigh ticket must depict percent moisture and initialed by the YCO.
• New for the 2025 Yield Challenge, MSPB will allow calibrated mobile weigh systems and certified moisture testers must be used for all weighing and measuring processes. Before the weighing and measuring process begins for a yield challenge harvest, the owner of the mobile weigh system must present a 2025 proof of calibration to the YCO and this proof of calibration must match the mobile weigh system in operation.  Weights must be hand recorded and a photo taken after each load is placed on the mobile weigh system.  For a mobile weigh system this will most likely included many loads on a off before the final weight is gathered for the MSPB Yield Challenge.  A small subsample of seed should be gathered after each load and blended with the other subsamples and used for the final moisture content.  Total load weighs with photocopies of the weighing process must be attached to the Harvest Information Form. Weigh ticket must depict percent moisture and initialed by the YCO. 
• If mailed, then entry forms must be postmarked by August 1, 2025. All incomplete forms will be returned.
• Contestants are officially entered only after the Entry Form has been received and processed by the MSPB.
• Contest field location must be submitted to YCO 7 days prior to harvest. YCO and contestant will establish and designate the boundaries of the contest field prior to harvest.
• All YCO’s and the contestant will sign the Harvest Report and attest and certify the following: harvested area, percent moisture to nearest tenth percent (00.0%), yield in pounds and final yield (adjusted to 13% moisture on a per acre basis) with 4 decimal points (0.0000). Yield Certification Forms must be submitted by the YCO within 14 days of harvest. Forms must be emailed to dennisr@bellsouth.net or postmarked by November 1, 2025 and mailed to MSPB C/O Dennis Reginelli 3103 Bethel Road Starkville, MS 39759.
• No yield information will be released to the media unless verified by MSPB.
• No experimental varieties are allowed. Variety selected must be commercially available and be listed in the company’s sales literature for Mississippi.
• All contestants must follow labeled directions on crop protections products. The number of applications and rates must be in accordance with the label directions.
• Contest officials may require proof of previous planted crops (FSA, Crop insurance records, etc.) from entered producers.

For more information or questions, please contact MSPB Yield Challenge Coordinator, Dr. Dennis Reginelli at 662-418-4480 or dennisr@bellsouth.net.