The American Soybean Association (ASA) is pleased to announce the four regional winners for the 2006 ASA Conservation Legacy Awards Program: Northeastern Region: Richard Kohlhagen, Kohlhagen Farms in Rensselaer, Ind.; Southern Region: Steve Gamble, Steve Gamble & Sons Farms in Sardinia, S.C.; Western Region: Keith Thompson, Thompson Farms LLC in Osage City, Kan.; and Midwestern Region: Lawrence & Diane Sukalski in Fairmont, Minn.

The ASA Conservation Legacy Awards Program is a national program designed to recognize the outstanding environmental and conservation achievement of U.S. soybean farmers who understand the responsibility of protecting one of our most precious natural resources – the land. Selection is based on each farmer’s environmental and economic program. Judges look for dedication to the land through cropland management practices (includes conservation tillage and nutrient management); farmstead protection; and conservation and environmental management.

The panel of judges scoring applications included representatives from the Soil & Water Conservation Society, the National Association of Conservation Districts, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, The Corn And Soybean Digest magazine, Monsanto, Chairman of the ASA Conservation Task Force, and a 2004 and 2005 regional winner.

Regional Winners’ Profiles:

Western Region Winner – Keith Thompson of Thompson Farms, Osage City, Kan.

Thompson farms 2000 acres in east-central Kansas. He uses a rotation of soybeans, wheat (double-crop milo), soybeans, corn or milo, corn or milo, then back to soybeans. He’s now even working with stacked rotations, growing the same crop twice. All of Thompson’s acreage have been full no-till since 1991. "This has shown up not only in improved soil quality but farm yields have since been above the county averages," Thompson says.

Thompson handles all farm chemicals in one location. A gooseneck trailer has been fixed to haul water and bulk chemicals to the field, which not only speeds up application time but has improved safety for the applicator.

Forty-foot buffer strips have been added along Salt Creek on their property to control runoff and to enhance wildlife habitat and they are installing grassed quail strips. This is important because although shelterbelts do help control wind erosion, many find that they lower crop production and feel the shelterbelts should be removed. By the use of the quail strips, it is possible to leave these wildlife areas along with improving profitability of the farm.

Southern Region – Steve Gamble & Sons Farms, Sardinia, S.C.

Gamble and his sons Jason and Steven are farming approximately 2,500 acres of crops. The Gambles rotate an estimated 98 percent of their cropland on an annual basis, which allows for nutrient replenishment and increased fertility from year to year. They have no-till drilled over 800 acres of soybeans double-cropped behind wheat and strip-tilled about 1,000 acres of corn into soybean/wheat stubble. Winter cover crops such as rye have been planted on areas with erosion potential. These practices have contributed to increased soil stabilization and weed control.

With the use of a Raven 440 controller on their spray rig, interfaced with Global Positioning System (GPS) and John Deere guidance, they’ve been able to reduce the amount of pesticides applied. The Gambles have taken precautions to avoid potential petroleum spills and ground contamination. Pesticides are stored in a locked storage building and are only handled and mixed by authorized personnel.

The Gambles promote wildlife habitat through the use of buffer strips, food plots and other practices. Thirty acres of food plots are home to a variety of game such as deer, ducks, doves and quail. Plus, they have a six-acre duck pond. The Gambles also burn pine stands for control of under-story vegetation and to promote browsing by wildlife.

Midwestern Region – Lawrence and Diane Sukalski, Fairmont, Minn.

Lawrence and Diane Sukalski have a true family farm that has had three generations working together to raise soybean and corn crops and includes five farm-dedicated children who are fifth generation farmers on land that has been in the family since 1885. The Sukalskis practice 100 percent conservation and minimum tillage on their 2,400 acre farm. Tracked tractors and combines are used, which greatly reduce soil compaction, thereby promoting better water percolation.

The Sukalskis plant field rows in strategic directions and use 20-inch rows to help control erosion. The use of biotech-enhanced crops and precision agriculture techniques and equipment have helped make the farm very conservation friendly. They have planted 1.5 miles of windbreaks, which have proven helpful for soil/wind erosion prevention and wildlife habitat.

Pesticides and fertilizers are not stored on the farm but are brought in by bulk and used immediately. The Sukalskis use both biodiesel and ethanol fuels in various tractors, combines and vehicles. They have 67 acres in CREP (Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program) and 24 acres of wetlands have been restored. Filter strips were planted next to drainage ditches to improve water quality, and rock and stones were used to stabilize eroding stream banks.

Northeastern Region – Richard Kohlhagen, Rensselaer, Ind.

Richard Kohlhagen farms 2,760 acres with his two sons Ryan and Kent in northwest Indiana where soybeans, corn and cattle are the main production enterprises along with wheat and asparagus. On the Kohlhagen farm, there is a balance of cropland, woodland, and pasture to fit both the soil type and topography of the land. Through effective conservation, technology and stewardship practices, corn and soybean yields have nearly tripled since the beginning of this farm in 1951. Kohlhagen has moved toward no-till since the late 1980s. Now 575 acres are in no-till and the rest are in minimum till. "No-till helps us with less labor, less fuel and fewer tillage trips over the land," Kohlhagen says.

Integrated pest management practices help the Kohlhagens keep insects and weeds in check. They are in the beginning stages of using Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. The utilization of a Centerline Lightbar on tractors have allowed for no overlap and unnecessary application of chemicals. To reduce reliance on chemical control, their practices include crop rotation on at least 75 percent of their total acreage, spot spraying, and bio-enhanced seeds. These methods help minimize environmental contamination by decreasing the use of chemicals near waterways and wells.

With 287 acres of buffer and filter strips, the Kohlhagens prevent contamination along waterways and provide cover for rivers, lakes and ditch banks that control erosion. A pasture grass mix is planted on the buffer strips.

All four regional winners and their spouse or a guest will receive an expense-paid trip to Commodity Classic in March in Anaheim, CA. They will also be recognized at the ASA Awards Banquet at Classic. A national winner will be chosen from among the four regional winners at the Commodity Classic. The four regional winners will be featured in an upcoming issue of The Corn And Soybean Digest magazine. ASA and sponsors The Corn And Soybean Digest magazine and Monsanto thank all those members who applied for the award this year and for their untiring efforts to be good stewards and partners with the land.