Since 1999, key conservation and agricultural organizations have
sponsored the River Friendly Farmer Program. The statewide initiative
recognizes farmers who through good production management practices
helps keep Indiana’s rivers, lakes and streams clean.
Indianapolis
– Sixty-five Indiana
farmers from 40 counties were honored today as
2008 River
Friendly Farmer award winners at
the Indiana State Fair. The ceremony took place appropriately enough
on Farmers Day at the 4-H Exhibit Hall auditorium in a ceremony
attended by state and federal conservation partners, family and
friends.
“As the Indiana State
Fair celebrates the Year of
Trees during
the fair’s 12-day run, this is a perfect time to recognize Hoosier
farmers for the conservation practices they implement day-in and
day-out to protect our valuable natural resources,” said Jim Droege,
president of the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation
Districts, the award sponsor. Thirty-seven of the 65 farmers honored
were present for a ceremony today.
“Farmers use many
conservation practices to reduce soil erosion on cropland and protect
water quality,” Droege said. “Trees also play an important role in the
conservation Best Management Practice tool kit as riparian forest
buffers to improve water quality, providing critical wildlife habitat
areas, and certainly by providing oxygen for all of us. One acre of
young trees supplies enough oxygen to keep 18 people alive.
“Perhaps trees’ most
important role for farmers and all of us is holding soil in place,
providing a key soil erosion prevention tool,” Droege added.
The River Friendly Farmer Award is
sponsored and supported by the:
River Friendly Farmer award
recipients are nominated locally by their
county Soil and Water Conservation District. For additional
information on the award, contact the
IASWCD
at 317.692.7325.
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