ST. LOUIS (March 1, 2013) – An area corn grower has been honored as a state winner in the 2012 National Corn Yield Contest, sponsored annually by the National Corn Growers Association .

Loren Lucas of Johnson, Kan., placed third in the state in the Irrigated Class with a yield of 272.2748 bushels per acre. The hybrid used in the winning field was Pioneer P1625HR.

The local grower was one of 421 state winners nationwide. The 2012 contest had 8,263 entries from 46 states. Of the state winners, 18 growers – three from each of six classes – were named national winners, representing 13 states.

The average yield among national winners was 316.3 bushels per acre – greater than the 2012 U.S. average of 122.3 bushels per acre. Nine of the national winners recorded yields of 300 bushels or more per acre.

The winners were recognized March 1 at the 2013 Commodity Classic – the premier convention and trade show of the U.S. corn, soybean, sorghum and wheat industries – held in Kissimmee, Fla.