Belmont farm family receives Environmental Stewardship Award
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Richard and Jayne Young of Young's Cattle Company in Belmont have been named recipients of the 2009 Environmental Stewardship Award by the Ohio Cattlemen's Association and the Ohio Livestock Coalition (OLC).
The Environmental Stewardship Award annually recognizes the many accomplishments made by family farmers to protect the environment and conserve natural resources.
The Young's operate a commercial Angus-based cow herd in southeast Ohio, purchasing calves from local producers and brokering them to feedlots throughout Ohio and Illinois. They have developed lush green pastures from what used to be barren mine fields through a conservation plan that includes rotational and limited grazing to maintain a good stand of key forage plants, prevent soil erosion and provide habitat for wildlife.
They incorporate an Ohio Environmental Protection Agency-approved plan for bio-solids application to ensure each field gets the nutrients needed to produce quality pasture for grazing. In addition, 14 springs have been developed on the Youngs' farm using recycled tire tanks and pressurized water lines with freeze-proof waterers.
The Youngs received a plaque from the Ohio Cattlemen's Association and a proclamation of congratulations and recognition of their commitment to the basic principles of environmental and natural resource stewardship from Gov. Ted Strickland.
"Richard and Jayne have incorporated various management practices that protect and enhance the environment and precious natural resources while ensuring productivity and profitability," said Ohio Livestock Executive Director Sandy Kuhn. "In doing so, they have minimized their operation's footprint on the environment by working to preserve and improve water and air quality, to protect the land and to promote wildlife."
OLC coordinates the Environmental Stewardship awards program while seven cooperating member organizations ’Äì the Ohio Cattlemen's Association, Ohio Dairy Producers Association, Ohio Pork Producers Council, Ohio Poultry Association, Ohio Sheep Improvement Association, Ohio Soybean Association and Ohio Corn Growers Association ’Äì sponsor the individual commodity awards along with Ohio's Country Journal.