 |
||||
|
||||
|
|
||||
In recognition for exceptional efforts to maintain and enhance the environment, seven ranches have received the NCBA's Environmental Stewardship Award. The Environmental Stewardship Program annually recognizes up to seven cattle farmers and ranchers who use innovative practices to improve natural resources while maintaining or increasing the profitability of their businesses. The Region 1 winner is Bartlett Island Farm in Mount Desert, Maine. The farm uses rotational grazing and double cropping in order to make maximum use of available forage. In the past five years, the stocking density of the island's pasture's has increased from one cow/calf pair per acre to three pair per acre. Lykes Bros, Inc., located in south-central Florida was the Region 2 winner. The ranch carries the fifth largest cow/calf herd in the United States and includes 350,000 acres. Lykes Agriculture is a wide spectrum agriculture operations utilizing land for sustainable economic production of sugar cane, wildlife management, cow/calf, forestry and citrus. Amana, Iowa, is home to the Region 3 winner, Amana Farms. Their adoption of a variety of environmental practices and programs provide a positive role model for cattle producers across the state. The beef division includes a 3,000 head capacity feedlot and a 2,200 head cow/calf operation. Neill Cattle Company of Welch, Okla., is the winner from Region 4. The operation comprises off a 14,000 head feedlot, a 2,343 acre stocker operation and 286 acres of farm ground. In 1997, they changed their feeding to a process called "Impact," which results in 30 percent less manure production. Region 5 winners, Anderson Farms and Cattle Company of Longmont, Colo., is a diversified farming and cattle feeding operation. Through thousands of feet of ditches and pipelines, an estimated 75 percent water savings prior to field application has been realized. Blanchard Ranch of Cayucos, Calif., use a rotational grazing system with cattle and goats to make the best use of available forage on the steep coastal mountains. This and other environmental practices earned them the award for Region 6. Rhea Cattle Company, the Region 7 winner, was recognized in part for their effective management of waste from their feedlot. They have also terraced their cropland, and have virtually eliminated soil erosion. |
||||
|
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
All information is copywrited by Feed Lot magazine and cannot be printed or re-printed
without the publishers express consent. Please contact
Feed Lot Magazine for reprint and copy authorization.
|
||||