David Hula of Charles City, Virginia, captured the top honor in the 2025 National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Yield Contest with a record-setting 572.2589 bushels per acre. This marks his 14th national high-yield win.

His irrigated strip-till entry using Pioneer P18216PWE was the only yield to exceed 500 bpa in 2025. The contest, now in its 61st year, drew nearly 7,800 entries from farmers in 47 states. Verified yields averaged 269 bpa across categories.

Hula emphasized the importance of “finishing strong,” focusing on plant health, extended grain fill and late-season management. His approach included meticulous emergence tracking, tissue testing, season-long disease control, biologicals, foliar nutrients, and irrigation timed to protect yield during stress periods. These practices helped extend time to maturity and increase kernel weight, resulting in a test weight of 66-plus pounds.

Overall, four national winners exceeded 400 bpa and eight topped 300 bpa. These 10 national winners averaged 410 bpa.

Kevin Kalb of Indiana posted the highest non-irrigated yield at 425.77 bpa. Winners came from New Jersey, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and Iowa. NCGA leaders noted the contest’s role in driving innovation and building decades of agronomic data, demonstrating the productivity of U.S. corn farmers.

Read more about the winners of the NCGA Yield Contest here.