By Scout Nelson
Two Kansas agricultural operations have been selected as finalists for the 2025 Kansas Leopold Conservation Award. This award is named after Aldo Leopold, a well-known conservationist, and honors landowners who show exceptional commitment to environmental stewardship and inspire others to do the same.
The first finalist has improved the health of its land by removing invasive plant species like eastern red cedar trees. This change has helped increase water availability and support biodiversity. They also use cross-fencing and rotational grazing, which are methods that protect and build soil health while benefiting wildlife. By focusing more on grazing cool-season grasses and using cover crops, they have reduced the need to grow hay.
The second finalist uses no-till farming methods along with planting cover crops. This helps improve soil health, increase drought resistance, and support better forage for animals. Their cow-calf herd grazes rotationally on native grasses and covers crops. Over 500 acres of farmland have been converted to perennial grasses, which are better for long-term grazing. The farm also uses field buffers to reduce erosion and create habitat for wildlife and pollinators.
The 2025 winner of the Kansas Leopold Conservation Award will be announced at the Kansas Association of Conservation Districts (KACD) Convention in November. The award comes with a $10,000 prize and is presented by several organizations, including the Sand County Foundation, American Farmland Trust, KACD, and the Ranchland Trust of Kansas.
Support for the award also comes from partners like the Farm Credit Associations of Kansas, Kansas Department of Agriculture-Division of Conservation, Kansas Grazing Lands Coalition, and others.
These two finalists represent the importance of conservation in agriculture and show how farming can support both food production and the environment.
Photo Credit:kansas-livestock-foundation
Categories: Kansas, Crops, Hay & Forage, Livestock, Dairy Cattle