Rain has fallen on much of the young Kansas wheat crop and with a few exceptions, the crop is in excellent shape heading into the crucial spring growing season. With better yield potential than growers have seen for several years, this year could be the year that you enter the Kansas Wheat Yield Contest and win one of three $1,000 cash prizes.

The contest includes three regions: Region 1 (Western Kansas), Region 2 (Central Kansas) and Region 3 (Eastern Kansas). Entry deadline for the 2012 Wheat Yield Contest is April 15, 2012. Producers achieving the top yield receive a $1,000 cash prize and plaque.

In addition to these cash awards, Yield Contest sponsors also have cash and product prizes for winners. For instance, BASF has a gallon of free TwinLine fungicide for the first 25 entrants into the Yield Contest. And winners who use either an AgriPro, WestBred or Kansas Wheat Alliance variety will receive an additional cash prize from those companies, respectively.

For the second year in a row, contest entrants will be eligible to participate in the Quality Initiative of the Wheat Yield Contest. Each contest participant will be asked to submit a 5-pound sample of wheat from the contest field. The sample will be evaluated for quality components such as test weight, protein content, variety and kernel quality. Top scoring samples will undergo further testing at K-State's Wheat Quality Laboratory. The sample with the top quality score will receive $250 in cash, sponsored by Louis Dreyfus Commodities.

Contest winners will receive their awards at the 2012 Kansas State Fair.

The April 15 deadline is looming quickly, so be sure to enter the contest soon - especially to take advantage of the free fungicide offer from BASF.

Folks who enter the contest will be asked to share management information about their farm, including details about tillage and agronomic practices, crop protection products usage and more. A third party verifier will be employed at harvest to ensure the integrity of the contest.

Wheat farmers who are 18 years or older from throughout Kansas are eligible to participate by enrolling a plot at least five acres in size. The fee is $50 per entry. Producers may enter more than once, but each entry must be submitted on a separate entry form. Kansas Wheat directors, employees and spouses are prohibited from entering the contest. Contestants must use certified seed. The contest is open only to dryland fields and Hard Winter wheat.

For those who are interested in accepting the challenge, more details about the 2012 Kansas Wheat Yield Contest can be found online at www.kansaswheat.org, by requesting an information packet via e-mail at kswheat@kswheat.com, or by writing to Kansas Wheat, 217 Southwind Place, Manhattan, KS 66503.