In memoriam.

Francis Childs, 68, Manchester, IA.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

He was the first corn producer to break through the 400 bu/A yield barrier, harvesting 405 bu/A in 2001 and 442 bu/A in 2002 on his Delaware Cty farm in northeastern Iowa.

He won the National Corn Growers Association's contest eight times, the Iowa Corn Growers 18 times and the Nebraska contest last year after relocating to that state.