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Seven family farmers who have developed and implemented exemplary conservation and resource stewardship management practices that protect and enhance the environment while conserving precious natural resources were presented with this year's Environmental Stewardship Awards, a program coordinated by the Ohio Livestock Coalition (OLC).

Award recipients were Don Lohr/Paradise Knoll Farm, Galion (Crawford County), beef cattle; Val Karikomi/Jorgensen Farms, Westerville (Franklin County), sheep; Scott & Charlene Stoller/Scott Stoller Farm, Sterling (Wayne County), dairy; Randy & Tom Brown/Maken Bacon Farm, Nevada (Wyandot County), swine; Ron & Kasey Schwieterman/Schwieterman Egg Farm, Fort Recovery (Mercer County), poultry (egg production); John Dunlap/Dunlap Farms, Williamsport (Pickaway County), corn production, and Gerald Hanko/Homelands Farm, New London (Huron County), soybean production.

"Environmental stewardship involves being a good neighbor, building trust and keeping it," said Randy Brown. "We take care of the land and water and strive to make it better for our kids and grandkids."

According to Randy, he and his brother Tom "were brought up to be keepers of the land. We both live on the farm and plan to live here for many more years to come. We want the farm to prosper and one way to do this is to make sure we are environmentalists."

Scott Stoller manages his family's dairy farm in a similar manner. "As the fourth generation to farm the land, walk the streams and enjoy the forest, our desire is to pass along the homestead and leave the land better than we found it. We strive to farm with nature rather than against it and teach these techniques to our children," Scott said. "Our water, soil and air must be wisely maintained if we wish to pass it on to our children in a quality, sustainable condition. We strive to be good stewards of what God has entrusted to us."

The recipients received plaques from each award’s sponsor and proclamations from Gov. Bob Taft that recognized their commitment to the basic principles of environmental and natural resource stewardship. The awards were sponsored by the Ohio Cattlemen's Association, Ohio Corn Growers Association, Ohio Dairy Producers, Ohio Pork Producers Council, Ohio Poultry Association, Ohio Soybean Association and Ohio Sheep Improvement Association.

According to David White, OLC executive director, two of the recipients are small to medium-sized, organically certified operations while five of the recipients are medium to large-sized operations that focus on commercial commodity production. "This demonstrates that regardless of the size of the farm or the type of production system utilized, with proper management, they can all protect the environment, be good stewards of the land, air, soil, water and wildlife, and be good neighbors," White said.

Factors considered in determining award recipients include the general nature and history of the farming operation; nutrient management system, including water quality protection measures, odor control practices, land application practices, and soil and crop management practices; how the nutrient management program contributes to the respective operation's profitability; stewardship goals and accomplishments; innovative management practices developed and implemented; involvement in programs that promote environmental stewardship; steps taken to develop and present a positive image for the individual operation, which also contributes to the positive perception of agriculture; and steps taken to improve communications and relations with the farm's neighbors and community.

"A steward, by definition, refers to the person who actually manages the land, but definition does not take into account the emotional attachment to the land as well. Considering that we are stewards, we can only hope to leave it better than we found it," concluded John Dunlap. "The future of U.S. agriculture is in our hands. It behooves us to be stewards for the soil is a nonrenewable commodity."

Cutline: Winners of this year’s Environmental Stewardship Awards were honored in late June at the Ohio Statehouse. Pictured here, l to r, are Joe Steiner, who accepted the award for soybean producer Gerald Hanko and Homelands Farm of New London in Huron County; Barbara Sachs, who accepted the award for sheep producer Val Karikomi of Jorgensen Farms in Westerville in Franklin County; dairy producer Scott Stoller from Sterling in Wayne County; beef producer Don Lohr of Paradise Knoll Farm in Galion in Crawford County; corn producer John Dunlap from Williamsport in Pickaway County; swine producer Randy Brown from Maken Bacon Farm in Nevada in Wyandot County; and egg producer Kasey Schweiterman from Fort Recovery in Mercer County.