It was a full day of events at the 2011 Cattle Industry Summer Conference in Kissimmee, Florida as one of those taking place this evening involved NCBA recognizing six U.S. cattle operations for their commitment to sustaining their family operations by conserving land, resources and wildlife through the Environmental Stewardship Award Program. Master of Ceremonies for the event was President and Founder of Southeast AgNet, Gary Cooper.
And afterwards I talked to Dennis Thompson, with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, about ESAP and how important it is.
Kissimmee, Fla. (Aug. 2, 2011) – For 21 years, the Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP) has recognized U.S. cattle producers for outstanding stewardship and conservation practices. Six diverse cattle operations were recognized as regional Environmental Stewardship Award winners Aug, 2, 2011, at the 2011 Cattle Industry Summer Conference in Kissimmee, Fla. The six operations will now compete for the national Environmental Stewardship Award, which will be announced in February 2012 during the annual Cattle Industry Convention and Trade Show in Nashville, Tenn.
Sponsored by Dow AgroSciences; the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS); the US Fish and Wildlife Service; the National Cattlemen’s Foundation (NCF); and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), ESAP recognizes cattle operations that use superior conservation practices to sustain the land for future generations. Candidates are judged on management of water, wildlife, vegetation, soil, as well as the nominee’s leadership and the sustainability of his/her business as a whole. The ESAP award program is administered by NCF and NCBA.
“The sustainability and economic success of the U.S. cattle industry is dependent on healthy land and resources. And responsibly using and conserving resources is a priority for U.S. cattlemen and women,” John Wallace, a representative from Dow AgroSciences said. “All cattlemen, not just the six recognized last night, take pride in their conservation practices. But the six regional winners have demonstrated a commitment to innovative practices and should be commended for their efforts.”
The six regional winners are The Masonic Village, Elizabethtown, Pa.; Daigle Farms, Ragley, La., Matador Ranch, Matador Texas; M/M Feedlot, Parma Idaho; Della Ranches and the Tanner Family of Grouse Creek, Grouse Creek, Utah; and the Center of the Nation Cattle Company, Newell, S.D.