Chaffee farmer gets governor's award for corn production

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Chaffee farmer Jerry Cox knows that generating high-yielding crops is a combination of old-fashioned hard work and embracing the latest technologies.

He was presented Wednesday with the Governor's Award for Agricultural Achievement in corn production by Gov. Jay Nixon.

"When it comes to corn, Jerry Cox and others in Southeast Missouri are taking science to a whole new level, and their work is breaking new ground that will keep Missouri agriculture moving forward," Nixon said.

Cox, who farms 2,000 acres of corn and soybeans with his son, Matthew, is recognized as an authority on soil fertility.

Over his 15 years of farming, he's accumulated more than 21 National Corn Growers Association yield contest wins, more than any other farmer.

In 2009 he placed in two categories in the National Corn Growers' Yield Contest, earning second in the ridge till nonirrigated category with a yield of 296.5 bushels per acre, and third in the ridge till irrigated category with a yield of 309.9 bushels per acre. The national yield average for corn is about 155 bushels per acre.

"You've got to be willing to change," said Cox, adding that many of the technologies he uses weren't available 10 years ago.

He credits his high yields to techniques learned through experience as well as the use of the Conklin AgroVantage fertilizer program and micronutrients.

"We do extensive soil sampling to find out what micronutrients might be low and then replace them," Cox said.

Missouri ranks 10th in the nation in corn production, and corn is Missouri's No. 2 crop in both acreage farmed and cash value.

In 2009, Missouri farmers harvested more than 2.9 million acres of corn for 446 million bushels, with a cash value of about $1.6 billion.

This is the first year Nixon has presented agriculture awards for commodities grown in Missouri. In addition to Cox, Matthews Cotton Co., near Sikeston, Mo., and Martin Rice Co., near Bernie, Mo., were also presented with awards Wednesday.

mmiller@semissourian.com

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