News

Kip Cullers of K&K Farms in Purdy, Mo., impressed the agricultural world the past two years by smashing soybean production records with varieties from DuPont business Pioneer Hi-Bred. In 2006 he attained yields of 139 bushel per acre to set the world record; then in 2007 he smashed his own record with 154 bushels per acre. In 2008, he didn’t break his own record yields, but accomplished another advancement by surpassing 100-bushel yields consistently across large fields, not just contest plots.

Cullers harvested two large fields of Pioneer® brand soybean varieties that averaged more than 100 bushels per acre. The national average for soybean yields is 41 bushels per acre. He attributes his success to managing his non-contest fields similar to his contest fields.

Cullers’ contest entry for the Missouri Soybean Association (MSA) yield contest – 117 bushels per acre with Pioneer® brand 94B73 (RR) soybeans variety – was still enough to win the contest for the third year in a row. It was in the MSA contest that Cullers set and broke soybean yield records. Cullers continues to hold the world record for soybean yields with his 2007 yield of 154 bushels with Pioneer® brand 94M80 (RR).  “I like to challenge myself to do better every year,” Cullers said. “The weather this year didn’t cooperate for a world record breaker – too many cool and wet days. However, we are very pleased with the yields we achieved. While world records are gratifying, averaging 100 bushels or better on the larger soybean production acreage is even more exciting,” Cullers said. “It’s important to put the right genetics on the right field, and incorporating management practices across the board have helped us reach and maintain higher yields.”