When Nutrien Ag Solutions announced the winners of its first Hometown Yield Challenge, the Muenster Community Center also stood in the winner's circle. The program, available to growers in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, selected the top two yielding farming operations and awarded them a $20,000 check to be passed on to a community organization of their choice.
Hofmann Brothers Investments, a farming operation near Muenster, was one of the two grand prize winners. Doug Hofmann with the operation explained a bit about the competition.
“The competition was a yield challenge for canola – a certain type, 660,” Hofmann explained. “There were four of us in Saskatchewan, four in Manitoba, and four in Alberta selected to do that particular yield challenge.”
The winners were part of a group of 47 farming operations that competed for the prize money on behalf of their chosen organizations. As part of the Hometown Yield Challenge, growers were required to plant at least 80 acres of a Proven Seed hybrid of their choice with phosphorus treated with Atlas XC. Throughout the season, field boundaries were mapped in Echelon, and Loveland Product applications, such as Awaken and Radiate, were applied.
The top two yielding farming operations were each able to choose a community organization to receive $20,000. Three runners up were also chosen, and each chose a community organization to receive $5,000.
Hofmann Brothers was the top producer. The second recipient of the top prize in the challenge was Chris McLean of Kitscoty, Alberta who directed his winnings to Kitscoty Community Meals.
As for Hofmann Brothers’ donation, it didn’t take long to decide on the beneficiary.
“Local small towns are challenged with fundraising,” Hofmann said. “And with the community centre, everybody uses it, and that’s why we thought it would be a good place to direct the money.”
“Thank you to all the growers who took part in our first ever Hometown Yield Challenge. The success of this program is rooted in your support and participation, so we thank you for your time and for joining us on this new adventure,” says Jesse Hamonic, Vice President and Country Head, Nutrien Ag Solutions Canada.