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2011 South Dakota Soil Conservation Award Program winners announced

PIERRE, SD – Seven producers from seven conservation districts were nominated to receive the 2011 Soil Conservation Award. The winners include: Janousek Farms of Gregory County; Daniel Gillespie of Lincoln County; James and Sandy Peters of Marshall County; Arny Erickson of Minnehaha County; Todd Intermill of Moody County; Dean Gaikowski of Roberts County; and Joyce Collins of Ziebach County.

Each award winner will receive a certificate and recognition sign, which the recipient may install on the property for which their conservation efforts are being recognized.

The Soil Conservation Award Program was created by the South Dakota Legislature in 2008 to recognize exceptional farming and ranching practices that conserve soil and other natural resources in South Dakota.



Current state residents or groups may nominate any South Dakota farming or ranching operation for the award by submitting a nomination form – available at any Conservation District office – to the producer’s local Conservation District.

Producers utilizing grassed waterways, terraces, crop rotations, sufficient crop residue to protect soil stability, no-till, grasslands managed for sustainable productivity, livestock management to limit soil and nutrient runoff or forest lands managed according to a forest stewardship plan to conserve soil are eligible for the award.



Nominations must be received by the Conservation District by no later than Jan. 1 of each calendar year.

“Even though agricultural is the number-one industry in South Dakota, the land stewardship ethic of producers is often overlooked by those not involved in agriculture,” said Walt Bones, South Dakota Secretary of Agriculture. “This award highlights their dedication to natural resource conservation and demonstrates that South Dakota producers are leaders when it comes to sustainable agricultural production.”

PIERRE, SD – Seven producers from seven conservation districts were nominated to receive the 2011 Soil Conservation Award. The winners include: Janousek Farms of Gregory County; Daniel Gillespie of Lincoln County; James and Sandy Peters of Marshall County; Arny Erickson of Minnehaha County; Todd Intermill of Moody County; Dean Gaikowski of Roberts County; and Joyce Collins of Ziebach County.

Each award winner will receive a certificate and recognition sign, which the recipient may install on the property for which their conservation efforts are being recognized.

The Soil Conservation Award Program was created by the South Dakota Legislature in 2008 to recognize exceptional farming and ranching practices that conserve soil and other natural resources in South Dakota.

Current state residents or groups may nominate any South Dakota farming or ranching operation for the award by submitting a nomination form – available at any Conservation District office – to the producer’s local Conservation District.

Producers utilizing grassed waterways, terraces, crop rotations, sufficient crop residue to protect soil stability, no-till, grasslands managed for sustainable productivity, livestock management to limit soil and nutrient runoff or forest lands managed according to a forest stewardship plan to conserve soil are eligible for the award.

Nominations must be received by the Conservation District by no later than Jan. 1 of each calendar year.

“Even though agricultural is the number-one industry in South Dakota, the land stewardship ethic of producers is often overlooked by those not involved in agriculture,” said Walt Bones, South Dakota Secretary of Agriculture. “This award highlights their dedication to natural resource conservation and demonstrates that South Dakota producers are leaders when it comes to sustainable agricultural production.”