The farm crisis of the 1980s led to something positive for Jim and Shirl Hershey. After purchasing her parents’ dairy farm in the late 1970s, they soon faced high debt and soaring interest rates. Unable to afford hired help, they tried to do it all. Something had to give. That’s when their conservation journey began. Jim tried no-till farming practices to reduce fuel costs and time spent plowing, without giving much thought to the potential environmental benefits. He jokes that farmers didn’t widely discuss soil biology back then. A decade later, when he began growing rye as a cover crop, he noticed that water no longer pooled in his fields. The combination of no-till with a cover crop was improving the soil’s ability to infiltrate moisture. With a roller crimper mounted to his planter, he became an early adopter of planting corn and soybeans into fields of living cover crops. This practice is better known today as “planting green.” He noticed early on that any soil compaction issues were alleviated and soil structure improved. Leaving crop residue on his fields has increased organic material and biodiversity in the soil while reducing erosion and weeds. With each growing season, Jim has adopted conservation practices to increase productivity and profitability while preventing soil erosion and water runoff, and reducing the need to apply costly nutrients and herbicides. Jim and Shirl farm with their son Marc and daughter-in-law, Crystal, who have operated an event venue, Harvest View Barn, since 2014. Together, they grow 500 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat, and barley, and raise about 6,000 pigs and 1.7 million chickens annually. Their manure is incorporated into soil to maximize the efficiency of the nutrients, control odor, and prevent runoff. Penn State University researchers have long had an open door to the Hershey farm to conduct research trials on the impact of planting green and cover crops on nitrogen efficiency, weed control, and soil temperature. Jim has also partnered with 4R Alliance and Pasa Sustainable Agriculture to analyze soil health and water infiltration. To share his experience with other farmers, Jim co-founded the Pennsylvania No-Till Alliance in 2005. He has served as president of the farmer-led organization that promotes no-till practices for 15 years. He also leads the Pennsylvania Regenerative Ag Research Foundation, and serves on the State Conservation Commission Board. In 2019, Jim and Shirl traveled to Zambia to establish an agriculture sustainability program for farmers who grow maize and other vegetable crops. They continue to mentor a farm family they met there. On their own farm, the Hersheys established 13-acres of buffer strip along a stream with 3,200 trees. An NRCS Forestry Management Plan on another 27 forested acres controls invasive species. Jim’s drive to keep his farm’s landscape green through as many days of the year as he can has led him to innovate. He designed and built a cover crop interseeder that has been sold to other farmers. His expanded cover crop production now includes crimson clover, tillage radish, Hairy vetch, and winter peas. The multi-species mix is attracting more butterflies and bees to his farm, which serves as inspiration for a conservation leader who is still excited to learn.

The Nebraska Sandhills is one of the last intact grassland ecosystems in North America, and the largest sand dune formation in the Western Hemisphere. Formed by glacial meltwater carrying sand and silt from the Rocky Mountains, the Sandhills are defined by rolling grass-covered dunes, fragile soil, and a delicate hydrological system. Prairie grasses stabilize nearly 20,000 square miles of sand dunes in western Nebraska. This rangeland was never tilled on a large scale but makes ideal grazing for livestock when managed responsibly. Deeply rooted in this region is Robert and Susanne Jones’ Diamond Bar Ranch. For generations the Jones family has understood their success is tied to the health of the Sandhills, and they’ve worked to protect this unique environment. As they ranch with their grown children: Natalie, Shaylee, Grant, and Lance, their conservation ethic is centered around responsible grazing, water stewardship, soil preservation, and wildlife habitat management. Diamond Bar Ranch’s rotational grazing system follows time-tested Sandhills principles, designed to mimic the natural movement of bison herds that once roamed the region. By resting one-third of the ranch each year from grazing, native grasses like Little Bluestem and Prairie Sandreed are regenerated. While working cattle, horses are utilized rather than motorized vehicles to minimize soil disturbance in the sandy terrain. The Jones family’s adaptive grazing strategy takes into account rainfall variability, forage availability, and soil conditions. Cross-fencing allows for improved grazing distribution, while GPS tracking and aerial monitoring technology assists in pasture management. Since 2000, the Jones family has planted more than 31,000 trees and shrubs to reduce wind erosion and improve wildlife habitat. Strategically planted windbreaks offer protection for livestock during windy winters. With assistance from the Natural Resources Conservation Service and Sandhills Task Force, the Jones family has mechanically removed invasive eastern red cedar trees across their Logan County ranch. With access to the Ogallala Aquifer, natural springs, ponds, and the South Loup River, Diamond Bar Ranch employs 56 windmills and solar wells to provide drought-prone water sources for crop irrigation and drinking water for livestock and wildlife. Wet meadows are an ecologically significant part of the ranch. These lush, moisture-rich grasslands remain productive even in dry years, providing a valuable forage source. Wet meadows are also essential habitats for migratory birds, amphibians, and native fish species. To reduce dependence on external feed sources, the ranch produces its own high-quality forage, including irrigated corn, alfalfa, and wet meadow hay, to produce nutrient-dense beef from its Red and Black Angus cattle. Diamond Bar Ranch’s pastures support populations of prairie chickens, sharp-tailed grouse, mule deer, white-tailed deer, and antelope, all of which depend on the same healthy grasslands that sustain livestock. The Jones family follows wildlife-friendly haying practices, allowing ground-nesting birds to flush and escape during harvest. The Jones family shares their conservation knowledge with other ranchers, policymakers, and the public. Their ranch hosted the National Grazing Lands Coalition Tour in 2022 to provide a hands-on opportunity for ranchers and conservationists to learn about sustainable grazing practices. They are longtime supporters of the Nebraska Youth Ranch Camp, where high school students learn about range management and leadership. As pressure mounts in agriculture to balance production with sustainability, the Diamond Bar Ranch shows how these two priorities can coexist. The Jones family’s conservation-minded land management has produced economic success and ecological resilience.

Dave Tribbett had already made his mark as a poultry industry innovator before he discovered the dual benefits of growing Giant miscanthus grass. The son of an FFA advisor started out by leasing some farmland and chicken houses while still in high school. With hard work, strategic diversification, and a forward-thinking commitment to sustainability, he never looked back. Today, his Twin Maples Farms raises more than 1 million chickens annually in eight poultry houses, and 1,500 acres of crops, including corn, soybeans, and lima beans. Dave’s adaptability was evident when he pioneered the use of wooden trussed poultry barns. His 65-by-500-foot design improved construction efficiency, lowered costs, and became the regional industry standard. In search of a better bedding for his chicken flocks, he began growing miscanthus, a sterile, non-invasive perennial grass. The cane-like plant reaches heights of 12 feet and produces up to 8-12 tons of biomass per acre. He planted the first 30 acres on areas that were erosion-prone, soils high in phosphorus, and otherwise unproductive cropland. The harvested grass provides a clean, soft, dry, absorbent, dust-free bedding, that reduces flies, pests, and odors. Miscanthus fields stabilize soils, filter runoff, improve water retention, and enhance carbon sequestration, with no herbicides and minimal fertilizer inputs needed. By drying naturally in the field, no further drying is required. This reduces energy use when compared to wood shavings that require intense energy. Within a few years, Dave expanded his miscanthus production to 1,000 acres, significantly reducing legacy phosphorus and nitrate which historically have contributed to pollution in the Chesapeake Bay estuary. Off the farm, he advocated for the crop as an added-value resource for poultry producers, and an environmental buffer for Maryland’s waterways and ecosystems. The long-term soil health benefits of miscanthus, including increasing soil organic matter and reducing nutrient runoff, are well-documented at Twin Maples Farms. Data from 2020 showed a reduction in surface erosion by up to 97.7 percent on converted acres, along with a significant reduction in nitrate leaching and phosphorus runoff. In addition, nearly 600 tons of carbons are sequestered annually. Twin Maples Farms farm serves as a living laboratory for research on miscanthus’s role in nutrient reduction, erosion control, and buffer efficacy. David believes it’s a new water infiltration tool with the ability to heal farmland damaged by hurricanes. He frequently hosts tours for students, farmers, policymakers, and community groups, to share his knowledge. His leadership in environmental conservation didn’t stop there. He founded the Mid Atlantic Organic Resource Company (MAORC), which transforms agricultural by-products into high-quality organic compost. Marquis Roberts, the compost facility’s farm manager is credited with helping Dave achieve a closed loop system where resources are recycled and reused within a continuous cycle. Last year, MAORC diverted more than 19,360 tons of poultry and horse manure, hatchery and egg waste, and grain waste from landfills. These nutrient-rich agricultural by-products, coupled with miscanthus for carbon, helped MAORC produce 27,000 tons of organic compost sold to farmers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed as a sustainable alternative to synthetic fertilizers, promoting soil health and resource efficiency. Dave, who self-funded all his major conservation initiatives, has proven that environmental stewardship and agricultural success are not mutually exclusive. His proactive approach is setting a regional standard for conservation-minded agriculture, fostering a community-wide shift toward environmentally responsible practices.

Landon and Anne Plagge build healthier spaces, on their farmland, in their local community, and within the regional ag economy. The Plagges grow a rotation of corn, soybeans, and food-grade oats on 4,000 acres. For over a decade they have utilized no-till practices while growing a diverse crop rotation, and a mix of cover crops. By keeping their soil surface covered, they improve soil biodiversity while preventing erosion. Building soil organic matter helps sequester carbon and boost crop yields without increasing inputs. Their improved soil structure allows for better water infiltration and retention. To stimulate soil microbes, the Plagges fertilize their fields with a custom blend of local livestock manure, including waste from the 10,000 hogs they raise, to optimally and naturally balance the nitrogen, phosphorus, and other nutrients in the soil. By partnering with other farmers to have cattle graze their fields, they reduce the need for chemical fertilizers and herbicides, while controlling weeds. Landon earned a degree in business administration, and Anne is an assistant professor of family services at the University of Northern Iowa and a former public health official. In 2020, they started Green Acres Seed Co., specializing in soil health consulting, diverse crop rotations, cover crop transition planning and seeding, and rural community preservation. Their experience farming has taught them that improving soil health requires diversity from the traditional corn-soybean rotation. Adding oats as a third cash crop to their rotation has built drought resiliency and improved pollinator biodiversity. However, when talking with other farmers, the Plagges noticed that many were hesitant to grow oats due to mistrust of the processing and pricing structure farmers face when selling small grains. Instead of accepting that oats aren’t profitable, the Plagges decided to get creative and solve the problem. After a few years of planning and securing financing with another 105 farmer-owners, construction is underway on a $55 million processing, storage, and distribution facility in southern Minnesota. When the oat milling facility opens in 2026 it will process 4 million bushels of oats grown on 60,000 acres within a 120-mile radius. The nutrient-dense, gluten-free oats will be made into branded flour, flakes, and steel-cut oats. This huge undertaking provides an avenue for diversified cropping systems that allow soil health and carbon sequestration to take root. It also underscores the Plagges commitment to getting conservation practices on the ground. The oat mill is not the first time the Plagges have worked to provide others with greater food options. When Landon was a member of the Latimer City Council, the community’s only grocery store closed. The Plagges didn’t want Latimer to be without a place to congregate and buy food, so they and another farmer bought a building, remodeled it, and re-opened a grocery store. They’ve since transitioned ownership of the store to a new board of community members, and redeveloped other properties that provide opportunities for others in their rural community The Plagges demonstrate a strong conservation ethic on and off the farm, serving on several conservation-focused committees and boards. Their passion for conservation is contagious as they explore how they can move the needle through education, data sharing, experimentation, curiosity, and teamwork.

Loren Poncia summarizes his story this way: Ranch kid gets bit by the agriculture bug. Kid works in corporate America. Kid comes back to the ranch to build something sustainable and profitable. When Loren and his wife Lisa moved back to Marin County 20 years ago, their goal was to reinvent the family business by raising high quality grass-fed and finished meats. That would require a new spin on how to raise and market sheep and beef cattle. During their first few years they both kept their day jobs while leasing 400 acres of his family’s land. They bought beef cattle and focused on the infrastructure needed for rotational grazing. That meant investing in miles of movable fencing, dozens of permanent water troughs, and solar pumps that move water to holding tanks. Today, the organic, grass-finished beef and lamb and pastured pork they raise are sold direct to consumers, grocery stores, restaurants, and butcher shops. However, establishing a niche product with its own brand, happened one step at a time. Seventeen years ago, Loren and Lisa designed a logo, put up a simple website, and began selling beef and lamb directly to consumers. As a vendor at one of the largest farmers markets in the country (7 miles away from their home, and only 35 miles from the ranch) their product caught the eye of well-known chefs. Over the course of a decade, they went from selling 10 head of beef to more than 1,500 annually. After purchasing a neighboring ranch, they rehabbed its buildings as ranch stays and turned an old hay barn into an event venue to host weddings, corporate events, and farm-to-table dinners. Loren’s experience in ag business, and Lisa’s as a practicing attorney, paid dividends as they built their business, which now encompasses a team of 20 employees and thousands of acres managed for grazing. The 650 acres they own and much of what they lease has Marin Agricultural Land Trust agricultural conservation easements on them. This ensures that the land will be conserved as open space and in productive agricultural use in perpetuity. Their daughters, Avery and Julianna, and their nieces and nephews will be the fifth generation to steward the coastal hills of Marin County. “We’re trying to dance with Mother Nature within our fencelines,” Loren says of his family’s approach to conservation. Loren’s father Al began fencing off the creeks and riparian areas and planting trees to prevent erosion in the 1980s. Loren and Lisa continued what he started by adding over five miles of fencing and planting 10,000 trees. This restoration effort has created a habitat that attracts beavers, badgers, bobcats, black-tailed deer, jack rabbits, and grey and red foxes. Stemple Creek Ranch is also home to endangered species, including the California red-legged frog and the California freshwater shrimp. The ranch was certified as bird-friendly by the Audubon Society in 2021 for its sustainable grazing practices. Several species of hawks, owls, and migrating birds seasonally call the ranch home. The Ponicas partner with Sola Bee Farms to host pollinating bee hives on the property. As one of the first demonstration sites for the Marin Carbon Project, a groundbreaking 10-year study, it was one of the first ranches with an active carbon farm plan. They have hosted hundreds of tours to educate others about carbon positive practices, soil health, and rotational grazing. Just as Loren strives to stimulate the soil and grassland at Stemple Creek Ranch, he’s equally excited about helping others see what is possible when bridging the environmental and economic benefits of conservation.

Michael Berg views conservation through a long lens. His life’s work has taken place at Berg Family Farm. The farm’s scenic and dramatic topography is typical in the hilly, ecologically unique Driftless Area of southwest Wisconsin. The Berg family has long sought to prevent their limited topsoil from reaching the flood-prone Pecatonica River, a meandering snake of a waterway that weaves through their 540 acres of cropland, pastures, and forests. Michael’s father, Byron Berg, installed contour strips to prevent erosion in 1952, a practice followed to this day. He often told his children, “We don’t really own the land. We’re just taking care of it for the next generation.” Those words stuck with Michael, who wears a commitment to conservation like a badge of honor. He recalls his father supporting local conservation efforts as chairman of the Lafayette County Board and hosting the state soil judging contest in 1962. To maintain topsoil atop rocky limestone hills, the Bergs began no-till farming in the 1970s. By the 1980s, they were hosting field days to show other farmers that crop yields weren’t dependent on plowed fields. The Bergs worked closely with Natural Resource Conservation Service staff on a detailed assessment of how their land drains. With that information they developed two miles of terraces to divert water from rapidly flowing downhill. These areas host native grasses and wildflowers that provide a food source for bees and other pollinators. Over time, Michael and his wife Diane planted more than 25,000 pine and walnut trees on about 75 acres of marginal farmland. While others scoffed at taking land out of crop production, these woodlands provide income from timber sales, and habitat for deer, bobcat, and bear. Before retiring from dairy farming in 2002, the Bergs built two manure storage areas to prevent the loss of nutrients and protect water quality. After dairying, Michael and his son Taylor transitioned to rotationally grazing Red Angus beef cattle. They seeded pastures with Birdsfoot trefoil, a clover-like plant that produces quality forage while preventing erosion. The centerpiece of Michael’s conservation efforts has been restoring almost a mile of riverbank with riprap in 2020. More than 200 loads of specialized breaker rock were laid, then covered with dirt and re-seeded. The riprap slows the infiltration of silt into the river during heavy rains, keeping the river cleaner. To provide a natural transition from the river to its floodplain, grassland buffers are maintained at least 16 feet in width along each side of the river. To minimize streambank erosion, the height of the banks was reduced in some areas. Large tree root balls were buried in the river to deflect currents and prevent erosion while creating fish habitat. Michael says that conservation measures like the riprap project are possible because his farm is profitable. In turn, conservation activities enhance profitability. His was the first farm in Lafayette County to participate in a phosphorus-water quality trading experiment with the nearby village of Argyle. Michael is a founder of the Pecatonica Pride Watershed Association, which brings together outdoors enthusiasts, farmers, landowners, business owners, and others to improve the river and inspire others to embrace conservation practices. By seeking new ways to fortify the soil, keep the water clean, and provide wildlife habitat while farming, Michael is strengthening his family’s legacy of land stewardship.

Jim Currie’s conservation journey evolved amid the wreckage of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The Category 5 storm that washed away his coastal home, made landfall about 20 miles south of Woodland Cottage Farms, the forest and farmland he purchased in Hancock County a few years prior. Before the hurricane ravaged his land, Jim and his wife Laura had spent thousands of dollars and un-totaled hours eradicating native understory plants to reestablish longleaf pine. Jim then had an epiphany. It was the soil and groundcover, not the mangled trees, that were the true long-term occupiers of the site. He was inspired to take his conservation efforts to a higher level. Following a 20-year career in Belize, Jim came home and purchased the first of 17 parcels in 2000. His 1,175 acres range from old dairy pastures to former paper company forests, high ground and lowlands, overgrown forests and areas that were clear cut. Jim was inspired by Reed Noss’ Forgotten Grasslands of the South. With the help of the farm’s caretaker, Craig Saucier, they utilize prescribed fire to manage a pine-grassland ecosystem. Prescribed fire during the winter and growing season reestablishes a diverse understory of grasses that supports a wide array of wildlife. Fire-maintained longleaf pine ecosystems once dominated the Southeast, but declined to just 3.4 million acres due to deforestation, forest fragmentation, and fire exclusion. That figure has rebounded to 5.2 million acres thanks to the efforts of landowners like Jim, who has served on the Mississippi Prescribed Fire Council and formed a local prescribed fire mentoring program. Jim’s commitment to conservation includes investing in the purchase of a Flail Vac seed harvester. The hydraulically powered rotary brush collects native seeds that are used to reseed other areas with degraded understories. In his book, Game Management, Aldo Leopold wrote, “game can be restored by the creative use of the same tools which have heretofore destroyed it – axe, plow, cow, fire and gun.” Jim routinely uses each of these to enhance wildlife habitats on his property. In 2018 he began grazing a herd of Mississippi Pineywoods cattle to mimic the soil disturbance once created by bison. This heritage cattle breed known for its foraging skills is believed to have grazed this region since the 1500s. Although still relatively rare, the breed of cattle is gaining popularity for its ability to help restore longleaf pine ecosystems. Jim sells heifer calves as breeding stock, and sells steers to a local processor. The combination of timber and cattle sales as a business model was once common across Mississippi’s coastal plain. Wood poles, pulpwood, sawtimber, and pine straw are sold from the forests. Each of these revenue streams fund the land management activities at Woodland Cottage Farms. Today, Jim lives in Pass Christian, and regularly educates and inspires others by hosting workshops and field days. His farm attracts a diverse mix of wildlife, including rare crayfish species and the federally threatened gopher tortoises. It also hosts ponds where the endangered dusky gopher frog has been released as part of a relocation effort led by the Memphis Zoo and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Jim was featured in the Southeast Emmy Award-winning documentary, It’s a Journey, discussing the linkage of land conservation practices to the Gulf of Mexico’s water quality. Casey Anderson of the Mississippi Forestry Association said, “Very few landowners personify the land ethic that Aldo Leopold sought to instill more fully than Jim Currie.”

Whether its ranch management or military strategy, Larry Stomprud has always seen the importance in planning. He draws inspiration from former U.S. President and military commander, Dwight D. Eisenhower, who famously said, “In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” Larry has taken those words to heart throughout a ranching career where he’s thoughtfully considered the needs of cattle and the landscape under his stewardship. Although Larry has always had a deep affinity for ranching and conservation, upon graduating from South Dakota State University in 1971, returning to his family’s ranch wasn’t financially feasible. Instead, he chose to hone his leadership skills by serving in the South Dakota Army National Guard. He also pursued a Master’s degree in big game management at Montana State University where he was introduced to planned grazing, an approach advocated by Allan Savory for regenerating land and improving soil health. This exposure deeply influenced Larry’s future conservation efforts. Upon retiring from the military in 1995, Larry remained driven by his land ethic. He and his wife Eileen seized the opportunity to become the next generation of stewards at Stomprud Angus Ranch. With his military pension, they bought his uncle’s interest in the ranch and invested in neighboring properties. Providing contiguous habitat and pasture was a strategy that would benefit wildlife and the ranch’s financial resilience. Today, Larry and Eileen manage Stomprud Angus Ranch’s 6,600 acres with their son Jay, his wife Jennifer, and their three grandchildren: Elijah, Kaira, and Joshua. Aside from 700 acres of hay production, they rotationally graze registered seedstock Angus and commercial cows on the ranch’s rangeland. With financial and technical assistance from state and federal agencies, the Stompruds transformed 1,000-acre pastures into more than 30 smaller pastures ranging from 100 to 400 acres in size. Investments were made in four miles of cross-fencing, 10 miles of water pipelines, and 24 stock tanks. To conserve grassland in a semi-arid region, their herd’s size fluctuates between 220 and 300 heifers and cow-calf pairs depending on range conditions. Most pastures are not grazed for more than 20 days during the growing season. This supports range plant health by facilitating leaf regrowth and maintaining healthy root reserves for the next growing season. In an ecosystem that averages just 17 inches of rain annually, Stomprud Angus Ranch’s drought management strategy works to prevent over-grazing and sustain ecological balance. In 2005, Larry collaborated with a neighboring rancher to drill a deep well. “That investment has been the lifeblood of our operation,” Larry notes. “Without it, there probably wouldn’t be a cow on this place.” Also providing essential water sources for cattle and wildlife are the 18 dams and dugouts that were established by Larry’s father Calvin and grandfather Ollie. Ample sightings of other wildlife like whitetail deer, Bald eagles, sharp-tailed grouse, partridges, and nesting grassland birds underscore the richness of the ranch’s biodiversity. Smooth-wire cross fences powered by solar batteries ensure safe passage of pronghorn antelope and mule deer that migrate through pastures. Larry and Jay have planted 5,000 trees to create cattle shelterbelts that provide shelter for livestock and wildlife from winter winds in western South Dakota. On and off the ranch, the Stompruds have worked with agriculture and conservation organizations, ranging from the Meade County Farm Bureau to the World Wildlife Fund. Throughout its 114-year history, resilience is a cornerstone of the Stomprud Angus Ranch. Each generation faced and overcame challenges with military precision.