A prestigious award program that celebrates voluntary conservation efforts on farms and forestland is coming to Minnesota.
The Leopold Conservation Award® honors farmers and forestland owners who above and beyond in their management of soil health, water quality and wildlife habitat on working land.
Sand County Foundation and national sponsor, American Farmland Trust, present Leopold Conservation Awards to private landowners in 27 states. In Minnesota the award is presented with state partners: Minnesota Soil Health Coalition, and Soil Regen.
Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes landowners who inspire others with their dedication to environmental improvement. In his influential 1949 book, “A Sand County Almanac,” Leopold called for “a land ethic,” an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage.
Nominations may be submitted on behalf of a landowner, or landowners may apply themselves. The Minnesota application can be found at www.sandcountyfoundation.org/ApplyLCA.
Applications are reviewed by an independent panel of agricultural and conservation leaders from Minnesota.
The application deadline date is July 1, 2024. Applications must be emailed to award@sandcountyfoundation.org.
The award recipient receives $10,000, and their conservation success story will be featured in a video and in other outreach.
The Minnesota Leopold Conservation Award is made possible through the generous support of American Farmland Trust, Minnesota Soil Health Coalition, Soil Regen, Sand County Foundation, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, General Mills, Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, Audubon Minnesota, Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association, Minnesota Corn, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Ducks Unlimited, Minnesota Farm Bureau, Minnesota Farmers Union, Minnesota Wheat Research & Promotion Council, Pheasants Forever, Renovo Seed, Saddle Butte Ag Inc., and The Nature Conservancy.
“Soil Regen believes that the foundation of ag starts from the ground up,” said Liz Haney of Soil Regen. “We are honored to support the many and varied conservationists celebrated with the Leopold Conservation Award. They are the true stewards of the land.”
“The Minnesota Soil Health Coalition is leading conservation through farmers helping other farmers. We are excited to see farmers honored for their good stewardship of the land,” said Mark Gutierrez, Minnesota Soil Health Coalition Executive Director.
“NRCS Minnesota supports the Leopold Conservation Award because it recognizes farmers, ranchers and forest owners who show a strong conservation commitment through action as stewards of working lands,” said Troy Daniell, State Conservationist.
“Leopold Conservation Award recipients are examples of how Aldo Leopold’s land ethic is alive and well today. Their dedication to conservation shows how individuals can improve the health of the land while producing food and fiber,” said Kevin McAleese, Sand County Foundation President and CEO.
“As the national sponsor for Sand County Foundation’s Leopold Conservation Award, American Farmland Trust celebrates the hard work and dedication of farmers, ranchers and forestland owners,” said John Piotti, AFT President and CEO. “At AFT we believe that conservation in agriculture requires a focus on the land, the practices and the people and this award recognizes the integral role of all three.”
CONSERVATION AWARD is a competitive award that recognizes landowner achievement in voluntary conservation. Sand County Foundation presents the award in California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, and in New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont). www.
AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST is the only national organization that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices used on that land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work. AFT launched the conservation agriculture movement and continues to raise public awareness through its No Farms, No Food message. Since its founding in 1980, AFT has helped permanently protect over 6.8 million acres of agricultural lands, advanced environmentally sound farming practices on millions of additional acres and supported thousands of farm families. www.farmland.org
MINNESOTA SOIL HEALTH COALITION works to reduce inputs and increase profits through farmer driven conservation and education. www.mnsoilhealth.
SAND COUNTY FOUNDATION inspires and empowers a growing number of private landowners to ethically manage natural resources in their care, so future generations have clean and abundant water, healthy soil to support agriculture and forestry, plentiful habitat for wildlife and opportunities for outdoor recreation. www.
SOIL REGEN is a “farmer first” company focused on providing farmers, ranchers and the food and agricultural community education, consulting, and Regenerative Verification. By partnering with nature and utilizing holistic management practices we can improve producer profitability, human health, resilience to climate, carbon storage, water quality and quantity. www.agsoilregen.com
2024 MINNESOTA LEOPOLD CONSERVATION AWARD FINALISTS
Hannah Bernhardt
Finlayson in Pine County
At Medicine Creek Farm, Hannah Bernhardt uses a rotational grazing system to raise beef cattle. The rotation is adjusted annually to promote biodiversity above and below the ground. By improving the soil’s health and capacity to hold water, the farm is more resilient to drought and excess waterfall. Hannah installed two ditch crossings for livestock to protect the Medicine Creek, which is in the St. Croix River watershed. Portable solar arrays power most of the fencing used for the farm’s grazing paddocks.
Dawn & Grant Breitkreutz
Redwood Falls in Redwood & Renville Counties
At Stoney Creek Farm, the Breitkreutzes have converted a conventional row crop and cow/calf operation into a regenerative farming showcase. They grow a diverse rotation of corn, soybeans, oats, and cereal rye, using a no-till and cover cropping system. Cattle are grazed across much of their farmland to increase its organic content. In addition to 675 acres of permanent pasture and some remnant prairies to prevent erosion, shoreline along the Minnesota River has been restored.
Tom Cotter
Austin in Mower County
The combination of reduced tillage, cover crops, and livestock grazing have led to a dramatic improvement to soil health at Cotter Farms. In 2016 it became the first in Mower County to be certified as a Clean Water Farm. Tom grows a multi-species mix of cover crops to protect the soils of his corn, soybean, sweet corn, green pea, alfalfa, sunflower, hemp and oat fields. Every acre of cover crops is grazed by his grass-fed beef cattle. Tom actively promotes to soil health to other farmers at state and national events.
Meadowbrook Dairy
Sartell in Stearns County
John, Mary Lou, Alex, Krissy, and Jake Udermann practice no-till and grow cover crops to minimize soil erosion, enhance biodiversity, and improve soil’s fertility and organic matter. Buffer strips along streams and ditches have been expanded to 50 feet to collect runoff from crop fields. About 100 acres of wetlands have been restored by seeding native grasses and wildflowers, which enhances pollinator and wildlife habitat. Meadowbrook Dairy hosts research projects and conservation outreach events.