SANDY, Utah -- Know a Utah farmer, rancher or forester who goes above and beyond in the care and management of natural resources? Nominate them for the 2020 Utah Leopold Conservation Award®.

Sand County Foundation presents the Leopold Conservation Award to private landowners in 20 states for extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation. In Utah, the $10,000 award is presented with Utah Farm Bureau Federation, Western AgCredit and Utah Cattlemen’s Association.

Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes landowners who inspire others with their dedication to land, water and wildlife habitat management on private, working land. In his influential 1949 book, A Sand County Almanac, Leopold called for an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage.

Nominations may be submitted on behalf of a landowner, or landowners may nominate themselves. The application can be found at www.sandcountyfoundation.org/ApplyLCA.

The application deadline date is August 1, 2020. Applications can be emailed to award@sandcountyfoundation.org. If mailed, applications must be postmarked by August 1, and mailed to:

Leopold Conservation Award

c/o Utah Farm Bureau Federation

Attn: Hannah Haslam

9865 S. State Street

Sandy, UT 84070

 

Applications are reviewed by an independent panel of agricultural and conservation leaders.

“The wise use of our resources and care for the land are always on the mind for Utah’s farmers and ranchers,” said Ron Gibson, president of the Utah Farm Bureau Federation. “I’m proud of the great efforts of Utah’s farmers and ranchers to take care of the land. I look forward to recognizing them for what they’ve been doing, and will continue to do, with this prestigious award.” 

“Utah farmers and ranchers do an amazing job of caring for their lands and natural resources,” said Brent Tanner, executive vice president of the Utah Cattlemen’s Association. “We are happy to see their hard work recognized and rewarded through the Leopold Conservation Award.”


“Leopold Conservation Award recipients are at the forefront of a movement by America’s farmers and ranchers to simultaneously achieve economic and environmental success,” said Kevin McAleese, Sand County Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer.

The Leopold Conservation Award Program in Utah is made possible thanks to the generous support of Utah Farm Bureau Federation, Western AgCredit, Utah Cattlemen’s Association, Sand County Foundation, The Nature Conservancy in Utah, Producers Livestock Marketing Association, Utah Wool Growers Association, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, and the Utah Association of Conservation Districts.

The Utah Leopold Conservation Award will be presented at the Utah Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Meeting in November. 

The first Utah Leopold Conservation Award recipient was selected in 2007. JY Ferry & Son, Inc. of Corinne received the award in 2019.

For more information on the award, visit www.leopoldconservationaward.org.

 

# # #

 

THE LEOPOLD CONSERVATION AWARD PROGRAM

The Leopold Conservation Award is a competitive award that recognizes landowner achievement in voluntary conservation. Sand County Foundation presents the award in California, Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, and in New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont). www.leopoldconservationaward.org

 

SAND COUNTY FOUNDATION 

Sand County Foundation inspires and enables a growing number of private landowners to ethically manage natural resources in their care, so future generations have clean and abundant water, healthy soil to support agriculture and forestry, plentiful habitat for wildlife and opportunities for outdoor recreation. www.sandcountyfoundation.org

 

UTAH FARM BUREAU FEDERATION 

The Utah Farm Bureau is the largest general farm and ranch organization in the state with more than 34,000 member families. Its mission is to inspire all Utah families to connect, succeed and grow through the miracle of agriculture. It strives to bring value to every citizen and community through love of God, family, country, and the land through political action, educational and informational means. www.utahfarmbureau.org.

 

UTAH CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION 

The Utah Cattlemen’s Association has represented Utah cattle producers since 1870, preserving the heritage and strength of the industry through education and public policy and by supporting and establishing the adoption of good principles of raising and marketing cattle and caring for the land we ranch on.  Efforts are made possible through membership contributions. www.utahcattlemen.org.

 

WESTERN AGCREDIT 

Western AgCredit is the leader within the agricultural finance industry with nearly 100 years of lending to farmers in the Intermountain West. It currently serves approximately 1,700 customers with a full range of credit and financial services, as well as providing financial and volunteer support to several agricultural and community activities, including, among others, Utah Farm Bureau, Utah Cattlemen’s Association, Utah Wool Growers Association, the FFA, and the 4-H. www.westernagcredit.com.