The University of California Cooperative Extension is once again seeking entries into its rice yield contest, and much like in 2018, it will offer a chance to win a John Deere Gator.
“We realize that this has been a tough year for just about everyone growing rice; however, the rice yield contest will go on and it will be interesting to see what sort of yields we can expect from a year like we have had,” UCCE rice agronomist Bruce Lindquist said in a grower newsletter. “2019 marks the fifth year of the UCCE Rice Yield Contest. We have learned a lot from these contests and have seen yields up to 135 sacks per acre.”
The state is divided into three production areas, with a yield winner named from each region. Those three regional winners’ names will be put in a hat, and the recipient of the Gator will be drawn during the UCCE winter rice meetings.
The regions are:
• Region 1: West of Sacramento River and north of Highway 20
• Region 2: East of Sacramento River and north of Highway 20
• Region 3: South of Highway 20
Entering is a simple two-step process. All entrants must pre-register by the California Rice Field Day, Aug. 28. Sign-up online or in person at the field day.
Then when harvest comes, it must be overseen and recorded by an “official supervisor,” which includes farm advisers, UC staff research associate, FFA adviser and Natural Resources Conservation Service employee, to name a few.
The following each supported the contest with gifts of up to $1,500 each: Corteva, FMC, Gowan, Nichino, Syngenta, UPL, Valent, Wilbur-Ellis, and Valley Truck and Tractor.
If you have any questions, visit http://rice.ucanr.edu/Rice_Yield_Contest/ or call Linquist at 530-902-2943.
Read the full rules at UCANR.