A Maryland farmer has set a new world record for non-irrigated soybean yield, harvesting 154.98 bushels per acre in a no-till, non-irrigated system.
Chris Weaver of Hickory Hollow Farms in Finksburg, Maryland, achieved the documented yield through a season-long agronomy plan developed in collaboration with Locus Agriculture (Locus AG), Concept AgriTek, and AgroTech USA, according to an announcement.
“We didn’t chase a record with gimmicks. We did it with a real-world setup that other growers can relate to,” Weaver said. “What made the difference was having a trusted team around the farm.”
The program combined Locus AG biologicals and a foliar soil amendment — including Rhizolizer Prime BA, the Rhizolizer Prime Inoculant System, and Bombigro — with Concept AgriTek’s Calbor and VermiBoost and its foliar and soil nutrition program. AgroTech USA contributed NutriCharge, a nutrient-efficiency technology aimed at maximizing phosphorus availability and reducing tie-up in the soil during key growth stages.
The yield was independently evaluated and judged, the announcement said. Melvin Baile, a farmer and a member of the Maryland Grain Producers Association, monitored weights using two different samples and said the crop stood out when it came across the scale. Baile added that Weaver’s fields were carefully managed through the season, not simply planted and left alone.
The partners said the result underscores what’s possible in conservation-focused systems, showing that elite, contest-level yields can be achieved in non-irrigated, no-till soybeans when product selection, timing, and placement are aligned. They also emphasized the approach is designed to fit standard equipment and common practices, positioning biologicals and advanced nutrition as tools growers can evaluate in their own operations.
