Arkansas Irrigation Yield Contest: "Most Crop per Drop"

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture has been demonstrating Irrigation Water Management Practices on cooperator farms for five years. Experience has shown that when applied effectively water use can be reduced by 24% on average with no yield penalty. Reductions in water use of around 40% have been documented. The adoption rate of Computerized Hole Selection is over 40% indicating that this is now a mainstream practice in Arkansas.

The Arkansas Irrigation Yield Contest is designed to test the knowledge and ability of growers to produce the “Most Crop per Drop.”

Anticipated Awards:

$11,000 seed tote credit for each first place winners in flooded levee rice, zero grade rice, and furrow irrigated rice production systems sponsored by Ricetec,
$7,260 in hybrid seed for each second place and $3,740 in hybrid seed for each third place winners in levee rice, zero grade rice, and furrow irrigated rice sponsored by Ricetec,
$6000 cash for the first place winner in corn, $3000 for second place, and $1000 for third place sponsored by the Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Promotion Board,
$6000 cash for the first place winner in soybeans, $3000 for second place, and $1000 for third place sponsored by the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board,
$500 cash from Delta Plastics for each first place commodity winner. This goes to the overall winner in rice.
$500 cash, 4 Watermark sensors, and a manual reader from Irrometer for each first place commodity winner,
Insertion meter from Seametrics for each first place commodity winner,
Soil Moisture Monitoring unit (Base and rover) from Trellis for each first place commodity winner,
Aquatrac soil moisture monitor from Agsense/Valmont for each first place commodity winner,
CropX 18" sensor and telemetry for each first place commodity winner,
1 year subscription to Farm Logs Basic for first place winners in Corn and Soybeans, and first place overall winner in Rice.

$20,485 in total for each 1st place winner in corn, soybeans and rice.

Rules and Entry

You may participate in the contest by identifying and irrigating a 30 acre field where water use using a propeller meter or other meter approved by the UADA contest staff is used to measure water use in the irrigated field. Yield is measured by harvesting 3 acres in a skip pattern. Harvest must be completed top to bottom of the field. See rules below.

Contest Rules

Entrants should read the contest rules carefully as the contest is similar to a yield contest but requires water use to be measured in addition to yield.

How to Enter:

Print and complete the paper form contest entry form
OR enter using the Irrigation Contest online entry form
Send a check made out to the University of Arkansas and entry form for $100* to:

Irrigation Yield Contest
University of Arkansas Rice Research and Extension Center
2900 HWY 130 East
Stuttgart, AR 72160

Locate a portable flow meter or have in-place meter approved for use in the contest. Meter must only be used to measure water use during contest. Meters will be sealed to the irrigation system.

Contestants are officially entered only after their entry form has been received and processed by the UADA. Entry forms must be postmarked within 10 days of meter sealing, and no later than June 30th. Incomplete entry forms will be disqualified. Contest field locations must be entered on entry forms and boundaries of the field must be identified before any irrigation event, including the flushing of rice fields. The supervisor must certify the beginning meter reading on the entry form.

*A $100 entry fee is required. Make entry fee checks out to the University of Arkansas.

Who can enter?

Entries are for Rice, Soybeans, and Corn irrigated fields only.
Contestant must be a certified FSA owner/operator of the entry plot and the field must have a history of being irrigated.
A copy of the FSA Form 578, including farm summary, must be submitted with the contest entry form.
Contestants may not enter more than once per crop and per season.
Contestants must be 18 years old at the time of entry.
University of Arkansas employees and spouses are prohibited from entering the contest.
Board members, employees, spouses of the Arkansas Rice Research and Promotion Board, Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Promotion Board, and the Arkansas Soybean Promotion board are prohibited from entering the contest.

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