Kevin Matthews
Farmer
East Bend, NC
Kevin is president of Matthews Family Farms in East Bend, NC. He grows corn on approximately 4,500 acres of dryland and irrigated ground. Kevin has been able to overcome the challenges of rolling land, irregular shaped fields and multiple soil types, by installing a subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) system. This system allows Kevin to manage his nutrient inputs and use 30% less nitrogen preventing leaching and ensuring a sustainable environment. Kevin experienced 300+ bu/acre yields with 11” of irrigation water with the SDI system vs. 150 bu/acre yield with dryland. Some of Kevin’s trials on SDI have topped 400 bushels/acre.