NCGA announces new slate of Fields-of-Corn photo contest winners

CHESTERFIELD, Mo. — “My Drone’s View Returning Home” is the grand prize winner of the 2021 National Corn Growers Association Fields-of-Corn photo contest.

The picture was taken via drone by Todd Wachtel of Illinois. This was the first time a bird’s-eye view category was offered as a part of the contest.

The most popular entry by April Anthony of Ohio for “Fire in the Sky” was also entered in a new category this year — equipment.

Most Popular Winner: “Fire in the Sky” by April Anthony.

Returning popular categories included corn, growing field corn, the farm family lifestyle, scenery/landscapes, farming challenges and conservation. In the eight years of the contest, nearly 3,000 photos have been submitted.

“We’re always looking for new and different categories to add to the contest, and this year it was fitting that one of the new categories produced the grand prize winner,” said NCGA Graphic Communications Manager Beth Musgrove.

“Every year, it is a challenge for the judges to pick the winners because of the number of high-quality submissions. There are a lot of very talented photographers who enter the contest, and each year we get a wide variety of photographs.”

In total, 26 prizes were awarded across the eight categories. Winners are determined through a combination of Facebook likes and consideration of a panel of judges.

Images submitted to the contest are valuable assets for NCGA in publications, social media channels and the website. The contest will reopen in spring 2022.

Scenery/Landscapes — First place: “Corn and Snow” by Tommy Cates.

Scenery/Landscapes — Second place: “Stubble” by Wesley Wach.

Scenery/Landscapes — Third place: “After the Storm” by Karrie Landis.

The Farm Family Lifestyle — First place: “Next Generation Takes the Wheel” by Luke Goessling.

The Farm Family Lifestyle — Second place: “Farm Life at Its Finest!” by Krista Jansen.

The Farm Family Lifestyle — Third place: “Multitasking” by Macullum Steen.

Growing Field Corn — First place: “Corn” by Ben Moore.

Growing Field Corn — Second place: “Autumn Beauty” by Samantha Anderson.

Growing Field Corn — Third place: “Lauver Family Farms” by Andrew Lauver.

Farming Challenges — First place: “November Harvest” by Rose Wurtzberger.

Farming Challenges — Second place: “Corn Smut Disease” by Kimberly Gross.

Farming Challenges — Third place: “Nitrogen Deficient Corn” by Kaitlin Flick.

Conservation — First place: “Grazing Covers” by Haley Deering.

Conservation — Second place: “Green Under the Canopy” by Evan Brehm.

Conservation — Third place: “Milkweed and Monarchs” by Ryan Heiniger.

Corn — First place: “Minnesota Corn Harvest” by Kari Schiefelbein.

Corn — Second place: “Colorado Corn and Skies” by Stacey Poland.

Corn — Third place: “From the Farmer’s Hands” by Ciera Ballmer.

Bird’s-Eye View — First place: “From Above” by Dave Peters.

Bird’s-Eye View — Second place: “Beautiful Day” by Loren G. King.

Bird’s-Eye View — Third place: “Corn Bee Amazing!” by Kate Danner.

Equipment — First place: “Screen Play” by Harlen Persinger.

Equipment — Second place: “First Load” by Carol Hunter.

Equipment — Third place: “Full” by Ryan Kanode.