Wisconsin Ag Connection - Nominations Sought for Leopold Conservation Award

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Nominations Sought for Leopold Conservation Award
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 01/11/2013

Sand County Foundation and Wisconsin Farm Bureau are accepting applications for the $10,000 Leopold Conservation Award.

Given in honor of Aldo Leopold, the Leopold Conservation Award recognizes extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation, inspires other landowners in their communities through these examples and provides a visible forum where leaders from the agricultural community are recognized as conservation leaders outside of the industry.

In his 1949 influential book, A Sand County Almanac, Leopold called for an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage, which he called 'an evolutionary possibility and an ecological necessity.'

"The Wisconsin Farm Bureau is proud to join Sand County Foundation in saluting the innovative conservation practices and work that Wisconsin farmers do each day to enhance our environment," said Wisconsin Farm Bureau President Jim Holte.

Last year's winners were Jim and Valerie Hebbe of Princeton in Green Lake County. Jim has been implementing conservation practices on his own land, as well as through his job as a county conservationist. He and his wife, Valerie, raise 1,100 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat and alfalfa in central Wisconsin. They also work to develop numerous conservation systems designed to reduce erosion.

Koepke Farms Inc. of Oconomowoc and Joe Bragger from Independence were also former winners of the award.

The deadline for nominations is August 9.

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