River-Friendly-Farmer-program-adds-47
Indiana’s River Friendly Farmer program has honored 47 new members who join more than 1,000 others recognized for their work to protect the state’s rivers, lakes and streams. Farmers are nominated by their local Indiana Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and past recipient Roger Wenning says that makes it a special award.
“Your peers nominate you for this award, so that’s one thing that really feels good and amazing, and then just to know somebody’s looking,” he explained. “We don’t do it for this recognition, but somebody noticing what you do. We like to be patted on the back once in awhile and that’s what this is. But, to see all these people, and I’ve read past and current winners, and I see what they do and how hard they work for conservation, and to clean our rivers up. That’s what this is.”
The program combines government agencies, agricultural organizations, Indiana Soil and Water Conservation Districts and their state association. Wenning is the president of that association, IASWCD. He told HAT conservation work on farms has evolved over the years.
“It started out years ago mainly no-till, but now it’s gone into cover crops, nutrient management, just the whole nine yards, the 4 R’s. These guys practice all of these great things to see to it that our rivers and the whole ecosystem is kept clean, taken care of, try to make it better for future generations.”
Wenning added, farmers don’t just care about the dollar, they care about the environment too. And those two can go hand in hand.
“Me and most of the people here have already figured out they run hand in hand. When we farm environmentally sound, it’s actually economically sound also. That’s the word we’re trying to get out, that it doesn’t cost you money to do these things. It makes you money.”
The 47 farmers were honored for their good production management practices at the Indiana State Fair Wednesday, August 14. Lieutenant Governor, Suzanne Crouch and Indiana Farm Bureau President Randy Kron were on hand to make the presentations.
2019 River Friendly Farmer Award Recipients and their County:
Gary Ross, Adams
Michael R. Werling, Adams
Nathan Boone, Boone
Chad Glunt, Boone
Steve Stoelting, Clay
Matthew Kelley, Clinton
Kendall Cattle, Daviess
Dick Froehling & Dave Riedeman, Decatur
Bill Metz, Decatur
Mike and Bryan Lammers, Dubois
Alan Weyer, Dubois
Roger & Joe Hibschman, Elkhart
Eric Bryson, Fayette
Barbara Vining, Gibson
Harold Turner, Grant
Amy Jo Farmer, Hamilton
Bruce Beeker, Hancock
Gary Sparks, Hancock
Merlin Martin Hendricks
Justin Coleman, Hendricks
Roger Greeson, Howard
Ray Swingley, Jay
Ben Singleton, Knox
Sherm Bryant, Kosciusko
Jon and Scott Gochenaur; Scott Beecher, LaGrange
St. Alban’s Peace Garden, Marion
Jerry & Amy Eckrote, Miami
Tracy and Christina Hunter, Morgan
Terry and Marlene Maxwell, Morgan
Ross Mallatt, Newton
Mark Mallatt, Newton
Adam Dobson, Putnam
Justin Daube, St Joseph
Matt Oberlies, Scott
Chris Burroughs, Spencer
Lee Nagai, Starke
Larry Jernas, Starke
Dan and Shawna Andrew, Switzerland
Ken Briggs, Switzerland
Bryan Shelby, Tippecanoe
George Fehrenbacher, Vanderburgh
Denny Bell, Vigo
Runkel Farms, Wabash
Todd Armstrong, Washington
David Williamson, Wayne
Dale Thomas, Wells
Brent Emerick, Whitley
