AMARILLO – Texas Wheat Producers Association member, Koby Dickerson, of Vernon, TX, was announced as the Texas state winner of the National Wheat Yield Contest. Dickerson produced an impressive 102 bushel per acre yield in the winter wheat dryland category, significantly above the Wilbarger county average of 25. Dickerson and other state and national winners will be recognized at the 2025 Commodity Classic in March.
“I’m pretty competitive,” said Dickerson. “I wanted bragging rights for all my local buddies. It’s turned into a competition between myself and other guys in the area.”
Dickerson has farmed in the Vernon area since 2017 and grows wheat, corn, cotton, and milo. He attributes his success to the no-till method, which he learned from his mentor, John Young, of Muleshoe, TX. Through no-till, Dickerson has seen significant improvements in his soil health, which he consistently monitors through soil samples.
“I haven’t tilled anything since 2018,” said Dickerson. “I’ll test the dirt a foot over, and it’s completely different. The CEC (cation exchange capacity), the organic matter, and the units of nitrogen have all gone up.”
Additionally, Dickerson is a proponent of in-furrow fertilizer application, and he specifically attributes a larger head size and protein content to this practice. Dickerson has also experimented with the correct timing of top dressing, which in his operation, seems to be right before the boot growth stage. Through these methods, Dickerson believes he has significantly cut his input costs and improved his yields. This year, Dickerson planted Steel, a CoAXium variety developed by Limagrain Cereal Seeds known for its herbicide resistance.
“Every year, I am impressed with the growers who enter this contest,” said Ben Scholz, a farmer from Lavon, TX, and National Wheat Foundation board member. “Koby’s yield increase over the county is a testament to his efforts to improve his own management practices and showcases the real value of the National Wheat Yield Contest.”
Dickerson farms with his wife and their four children. In addition to farming, he also works as a welder in the refinery industry and has traveled the world in this role.
The National Wheat Yield Contest is held by the National Wheat Foundation, a non-profit organization managed by the staff of the National Association of Wheat Growers that serves as the center for wheat research, education, and outreach. The contest offers wheat growers the opportunity to compete on a national level and improve their production practices through new and innovative techniques. There are winners in two primary categories: winter wheat and spring wheat, as well as two subcategories: dryland and irrigated. All submitted samples are analyzed for quality, with only the highest grade wheat samples eligible to place in the contest. Submissions are also tested on other quality factors like protein and test weight. The full list of national and state winners can be found on the National Wheat Foundation website.
The Texas Wheat Producers Association is a voluntary membership organization of wheat producers in Texas. The association provides growers a concentrated, organized voice in political matters affecting the production and marketing of their crops.
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