The 2025 Kansas corn harvest is projected to set a new state record, and the top winner of the Kansas Corn Yield Contest has done the same.
According to the Kansas Corn Growers Association, with a record yield of 349.34 bushels per acre, Haskell County farmer Grant Webber was the overall winner of the Kansas Corn Yield Contest Irrigated Class. Jeff Koelzer, Pottawatomie County was the overall state winner of the dryland class with an impressive yield of 319.53 bushels per acre. Five Kansas entries, all in the irrigated class, were over 325 bushels per acre.
“Once again, we saw record bushels from across the state in this year’s contest. Our Kansas farmers produced corn yields that averaged 251.84 bushels/acre across all KCYC entries. That’s impressive considering many growers faced greater disease pressure than normal,” according to Kansas Corn Eastern Kansas Grower Services and Programs Manager Kylie Massengale, who manages the contest. “We also had multiple entries from every district in Kansas, which doesn’t happen every year.”
Both state and district winners of the Kansas Corn Yield Contest will be honored at the 2026 Kansas Corn Symposium on January 29 at the Salina Hilton Garden Inn. The Symposium will begin with registration at 11:30 am followed by a luncheon, afternoon program and dinner. Yield contest winners will be recognized at dinner. Growers can register to attend at kscorn.com/symposium or by calling 785-410-5009.
The state contest awards dryland and irrigated winners in ten districts, a Nitrogen Management Class winner, along with one statewide dryland and one statewide irrigated winner.
The Kansas Corn Yield Contest was created to recognize high-yielding Kansas corn farmers and gain information to improve practices and increase efficiency for greater sustainability and profitability. Sharing the data collected among Kansas farmers benchmarks the corn yields and provides information for improving management practices. The Kansas Corn Yield Contest was created to recognize and award Kansas growers and partners with the National Corn Yield Contest. Kansas growers who enter the national contest are automatically entered in the Kansas Corn Yield Contest.
STATE WINNER—IRRIGATED CLASS
Grant Webber, Haskell County; 349.34 bu/acre; Pioneer P13777PCUE
STATE WINNER—DRYLAND CLASS
Jeff Koelzer, Pottawatomie County; 319.53 bu/acre; DEKALB DKC114-43VT2PRIB
NORTHWEST | DISTRICT 1
DRYLAND
First Place: Landon Truetken, Decatur County; 179.50 bu/acre; Pioneer P05081AML
Second Place: Rodney Johnson, Sheridan County; 157.71 bu/acre; Pioneer P1548AM
IRRIGATED
First Place: Taylor Brack, Sherman County; 286.54 bu/acre; Pioneer P12517V
Second Place: Landon Truetken, Thomas County; 285.06 bu/acre; Pioneer P13777PCUE
Third Place: Taylor Brack, Sherman County; 283.71 bu/acre; Pioneer P1366Q
WEST CENTRAL | DISTRICT 2
IRRIGATED
First Place: Luke Smith, Wichita County; 329.58 bu/acre; Pioneer P14830AML
Second Place: Matt Long, Wichita County; 294.71 bu/acre; Axis 62C60
Third Place: Chris Winderlin, Scott County; 286.28 bu/acre; Axis 62C60
SOUTHWEST | DISTRICT 3
IRRIGATED
First Place: Grant Webber, Haskell County; 349.34 bu/acre; Pioneer P13777PCUE
Second Place: Brecken Webber, Haskell County; 349.14 bu/acre; Pioneer P15517PCE
Third Place: John & Jagger Borth, Meade County; 340.78 bu/acre; Pioneer P14830AML
DRYLAND
First Place: David Walker, Stanton County; 149.02 bu/acre; Pioneer P1122AML
Second Place: David Walker, Stanton County; 145.35 bu/acre; Pioneer P08527V
Third Place: David Walker, Stanton County; 118.32 bu/acre; Pioneer P03115V
NORTH CENTRAL | DISTRICT 4
DRYLAND
First Place: Rod Stewart, Washington County; 311.74 bu/acre; Pioneer P13050AM
Second Place: Ryan Stewart, Washington County; 305.16 bu/acre; Pioneer P13050AM
IRRIGATED
First Place: Darah Bohl, Smith County; 346.51 bu/acre; DEKALB DKC70-27RIB
Second Place: Taylar Bohl, Smith County; 311.65 bu/acre; DEKALB DKC68-35RIB
Third Place: Taylar Bohl, Smith County; 304.07 bu/acre; DEKALB DKC119-30RIB
CENTRAL | DISTRICT 5
DRYLAND
First Place: Mark Pettijohn, Dickinson County; 207.80 bu/acre; DEKALB DKC111-35
Second Place: Konrad Krispense, Marion County; 194.62 bu/acre; Pioneer P1413AM
Third Place: Matthew Goering, McPherson County; 176.14 bu/acre; Beck’s Hybrids 6973TCV2P
IRRIGATED
First Place: Joe Schlessiger, Barton County; 277.30 bu/acre; Pioneer P1718AML
SOUTH CENTRAL | DISTRICT 6
DRYLAND
First Place: Michael Speer, Sedgwick County; 228.10 bu/acre; Beck’s Hybrids 6574TCV2P
Second Place: Kyle Smith, Sumner County; 172.07 bu/acre; Beck’s Hybrids 6414V2P
Third Place: Aaron Pauly, Sedgwick County; 170.86 bu/acre; DEKALB DKC68-35RIB
IRRIGATED
First Place: Todd Wycoff, Stafford County; 276.45 bu/acre; Pioneer P14830AML
Second Place: Matthew Flora, Pratt County; 256.08 bu/acre; Beck’s Hybrids 6973TCV2P
Third Place: Daniel Kelly, Reno County; 248.90 bu/acre; Beck’s Hybrids 6973TCV2P
NORTHEAST | DISTRICT 7
DRYLAND
First Place: Jeff Koelzer, Pottawatomie County; 319.53 bu/acre; DEKALB DKC114-43VT2PRIB
Second Place: David Koelzer, Nemaha County; 308.70 bu/acre; DEKALB DKC68-35RIB
Third Place: Alex Noll, Jefferson County; 295.33 bu/acre; DEKALB DKC68-35RIB
IRRIGATED
First Place: Alex Noll, Jefferson County; 292.10 bu/acre; DEKALB DKC66-06RIB
Second Place: Craig Gigstad, Jefferson County; 288.30 bu/acre; DEKALB DKC68-35RIB
Third Place: Olson Family Farms, Brown County; 282.07 bu/acre; Pioneer P13777PCE
EAST CENTRAL | DISTRICT 8
DRYLAND
First Place: Parker Meats, Coffey County; 279.61 bu/acre; DEKALB DKC68-35RIB
Second Place: Joe Heathman, Chase County; 232.44 bu/acre; Taylor Seed Farms 9932 VT2PRO RIB
Third Place: David Sutherland, Coffey County; 223.44 bu/acre; Golden Harvest G17A81-V
SOUTHEAST | DISTRICT 9
DRYLAND
First Place: Bradley McVey, Wilson County; 245.18 bu/acre; DEKALB DKC68-37
Second Place: Greg Lair, Allen County; 244.40 bu/acre; Beck’s Hybrids 6973TCV2P
Third Place: Zeb Scheibmeir, Allen County; 240.92 bu/acre; Beck’s Hybrids 6414V2P
NORTH NORTHEAST | DISTRICT 10
DRYLAND
First Place: Tyler Keebler, Doniphan County; 269.08 bu/acre; Taylor Seed Farms 6013
IRRIGATED
First Place: Traci Noll, Doniphan County; 277.89 bu/acre; DEKALB DKC68-35RIB
NITROGEN MANAGEMENT CLASS
First Place: Joe Heathman, Chase County; 182.19 bu/acre; Taylor Seed Farms 9932 VT2PRO RIB
