The coronavirus pandemic has caused many changes in 2020. Even though schools closed for long periods of time, many events cancelled like our beloved Sunbelt Ag Expo, some conferences have gone virtual, and events were postponed, we are happy to say that at least one thing is continuing – The Southeastern Hay Contest! A tradition since 2004, The Southeastern Hay Contest has been keeping hay growers striving for the best for over a decade.
The Southeastern Hay Contest spotlights high-quality hay and balayage production across the southeast, including submissions from multiple states across the region. Massey Furgeson and multiple other sponsors encourage and enable farmers to submit their hay into seven different categories ranging from warm season perennial grass hay to legume baleage.
The top three category winners are awarded cash prizes sponsored by R.W. Griffin Industries, America’s Alfalfa, Perennial Peanut Producers Association, Corteva Agriscience, Athens Seed Company, Pennington, and Southeast Agriseeds. The grand prize winner is sponsored by Massey Ferguson and will have the choice of the use of a new Massey Ferguson RK Series rotary rake or a new Massey Ferguson DM Series Professional disc mower for the 2021 hay production season AND receive $1,000 cash.
The awards are typically presented at the opening ceremony of the Sunbelt Ag Expo. Since this is not possible this year, the award winners will be announced at the American Forage and Grassland Conference conference Jan. 4, 2021, in Savannah, Georgia. Winners will be recognized for their accomplishments at the conference or virtually. For more information on the contest visit www.sunbeltexpo.com/highlighted-events/southeast-hay-contest and for more information on the conference visit www.afgc.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageID=3459 .