Winner will receive $10,000 prize for Conservation Leadership

FRANKFORT (Jan. 6, 2021) – Agriculture Commissioner Dr. Ryan Quarles invites Kentuckians to nominate a farmer or forester for the 2021 Kentucky Leopold Conservation Award.

“Contrary to popular perception, farmers are some of our greatest conservationists and stewards of the land,” Commissioner Quarles said. “Every year, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture is honored to work with the Sand County Foundation to present the Leopold Conservation Award to a Kentucky farm family who goes above and beyond in the care and management of natural resources. The nominees support our proud tradition of conserving important resources while keeping farmland productive and sustainable.”

Sand County Foundation, the nation’s leading voice for conservation of private land, presents the Leopold Conservation Award to private landowners in 21 states for extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation. In Kentucky, the $10,000 award is presented with the Kentucky Agricultural Council and the Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts.

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 sandcountyfoundation.org/uploads/Kentucky-CFN-2019WEB.pdf.

The application deadline date is April 1, 2021. The committee prefers application materials to be sent electronically to colemansteve51@gmail.com.

Materials may be also be mailed with a postmark of April 1, 2021. Mail applications to:
Leopold Conservation Award
c/o Franklin County Conservation District
103 Lakeview Court
Frankfort, KY 40601

The first Kentucky Leopold Conservation Award was presented to Sherwood Acres Farm of LaGrange in 2013. The 2020 recipient of the award was JRS Angus Farm of Lawrenceburg.

The Kentucky Leopold Conservation Award is made possible thanks to the generous support and partnership of American Farmland Trust, Kentucky Agricultural Council, Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts, Sand County Foundation, U.S Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, Kentucky State University College of Agriculture, Community and the Sciences and Land Grant Program, AgriBusiness Association of Kentucky, Farm Credit Mid-America, Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association, Kentucky Corn Growers Association, Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation, Kentucky Pork Producers, Kentucky Soybean Promotion Board, Kentucky Tree Farm Committee, Kentucky Woodland Owner’s Association, and University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.

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