“The PGRO Bean Yield Challenge looks towards growing a 10 tonne field bean crop by 2020,” says Roger Vickers, chief executive of PGRO. “As many will remember, a generation ago, the Ten Tonne Club for wheat helped to change the aspirations of the best growers of wheat, and we believe it is now time to do the same for the bean crop.
“The Challenge is open to any UK-based grower of a commercial UK-grown spring or winter bean crop and will run annually until crop 2020 or until the first 10t/ha crop is validated – whichever is the sooner.
“The absolute Yield Challenge winner will be the first grower to achieve a verified yield of 10t/ha or more. The prize will be a 4-night tour to France for 4 guests, including a night in Paris and French pulse production and research visits.
“We are also awarding a prize trophy annually for the highest verified yield for each crop year. Richard Wainwright, who farms in North Yorkshire, was the 2016 winner of the PGRO Bean Yield Challenge, He then repeated his success by winning again in 2017 with a yield of 7.02t/ha from his Fanfare spring beans.”
The Bean Yield Challenge rules and entry form are available for download from the PGRO web site (www.pgro.org) on completion of the short registration form. All entries must be submitted electronically and registered by 31st July of the cropping year.
