Awards

River Friendly Farmer Award Winner

Jeffrey Ferguson was honored as a River-Friendly Farmer on August 7 in Indianapolis. The Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts hosts this annual event to recognize farmers who use best management practices like cover crops and filter strips. These efforts enhance soil health and prevent erosion, protecting Indiana's waterways. 

Jeffrey Ferguson farms soybeans, corn, wheat, and cattle in the Muscatatuck Watershed. This multi-generational farm utilizes no-till, cover crops and grass waterways. With a focus on soil and water conservation, Jeffrey has implemented rotational grazing and protection of waterways with livestock exclusion fencing. As chairman of the local Soil and Water Conservation District Board, he secured a grant that gave local farmers acces to funds that support conservation practice implementation. Conservation practices have been beneficial to his farm and Jeffrey advises farmers, who are contemplating conservation practices, to step out of their comfort zone, start small, and try cover crops and no-till. 

Sponsored by Indiana Farm Bureau, The Nature Conservancy, and the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, the River-Friendly Farmer Award ceremony takes place during the Indiana State Fair. This years' recipients join over 1100 farmers recognized since the program began in 2000. 

Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch, along with Kendall Culp, Vice President of Indiana Farm Bureau, and other Indiana Conservation Partner leaders, expressed gratitude for the farmers' dedication to preserving Indiana's natural resources and contributing to the quality of life in the Hoosier state.