Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg, Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, and Department of Natural Resources Director Kayla Lyon today recognized 39 Iowa farm families with Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Awards at the Iowa State Fair. The award acknowledges farmers who take voluntary actions to improve and protect our state’s natural resources while serving as leaders in their communities. Among those 39 individuals was Joshua Henik of Mount Vernon.
These farm families use proven in-field and edge-of-field practices such as cover crops, no-till, wetlands, bioreactors and saturated buffers, among many others, that support the goals of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy by holding soil in place and improving water quality. These worthy recipients recognize that the benefits of conservation practices extend beyond their fields, and their leadership encourages others to adopt similar conservation practices.
“The Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award recognizes the farmers who have made stewardship a priority. Their commitment to protecting, preserving, and restoring Iowa’s natural resources will ensure that future generations can enjoy the benefits of healthy soils and improved water quality for decades to come,” said Gov. Kim Reynolds. “Congratulations to the 2023 winners of the IFELA award. We applaud your leadership and commitment to environmental excellence.”
“We continue to see record engagement in our state’s conservation activity, and it is important that we recognize the dedicated Iowa farm families who lead by example in implementing these proven practices,” said Secretary Naig. “As we accelerate our water quality efforts statewide and work toward meeting our nutrient reduction goals, I believe Iowa farmers and landowners will continue to rise to the challenge in the years ahead by adding even more conservation practices.”
“We take great pride in recognizing these leaders in our farming communities throughout our state that put sound conservation practices at the forefront of their operations,” said Director Lyon. “Their conservation practices are leading the change and setting an example for future generations and other farmers.
A total of 777 Iowa farm families have been recognized since the creation of the Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award in 2012. A list of previous recipients is available on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s website.
The winners were chosen by a committee representing conservation and agricultural groups.