Nine Virginia farms have received special recognition as grand winners of the 2021 Clean Water Farm Awards for demonstrating exceptional commitment to practices that protect the soil and water.
In partnership with Virginia’s 47 soil and water conservation districts, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation sponsors the Grand Basin Clean Water Farm Awards each year. Individual soil and water conservation districts select local Clean Water Farm Award winners in the state. Of those, up to 10 grand winners are selected from Virginia’s major river basins.
The winning farm owners or operators manage their operations with innovative technologies and best management practices that improve the quality of Virginia waters. Such efforts include planting cover crops, establishing rotational grazing and keeping livestock out of waterways through fencing.
Several of the 2021 grand winners are farms extending several generations, such as the Garbers in Mount Sidney, the sixth generation of their family to run their farm.
“DCR is proud to sponsor this program with the soil and water conservation districts,” said Frank Stovall, acting director of DCR. “We offer our thanks to these Virginia farmers for doing their part to improve water quality throughout the state, and appreciate the leadership these producers have shown by encouraging others to keep nutrients, pesticides and chemicals out of local waterways.”
“These farms are shining examples of the commitment to improving water quality by the agricultural community,” said Darryl Glover, DCR’s deputy director for Dam Safety, Floodplain Management, and Soil and Water Conservation. “The producers are both enhancing their operations and improving their bottom lines while also helping the commonwealth to achieve its water quality goals by voluntarily implementing practices such as livestock stream fencing, cover crops, riparian buffers, nutrient management plans, conservation tillage and more.”
Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts President Lynn Graves said, “District staff have worked closely with these farmers to plan and implement agricultural conservation practices to protect our natural resources. Grand Basin Clean Water Farm Award winners have made long-term commitments to protecting the land and water. Proudly, some of the partnerships that soil and water conservation districts have with these farms go back decades. We take great pride in forging these partnerships and appreciate the opportunity to assist the agricultural community with being good stewards of the land.”
For descriptions of each farm, go to www.dcr.virginia.gov/soil-and-water/cwfa-winners.
Big Sandy-Upper Tennessee River Basin
Alan Purcell, Purcell Farm
Nominated by Clinch Valley Soil and Water Conservation District
Chowan River Basin
Jared Webb, Oak Level Farms
Nominated by the Chowan Basin Soil and Water Conservation District
James River Basin
Rob Harrison, Harrison Cattle Company
Nominated by the Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District
New River Basin
Scott-May Farm
Nominated by the Big Walker Soil and Water Conservation District
Potomac River Basin
Ann Backer, Smitten-Salem Farm
Nominated by the John Marshall Soil and Water Conservation District
Rappahannock River Basin
The McDaniel Family, Heavenly Acres Farm
Nominated by the Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation District
Roanoke River Basin
Alex Hunt
Nominated by the Blue Ridge Soil and Water Conservation District
Shenandoah River Basin
Wayne and Brian Garber, Garber Farms Inc.
Nominated by the Headwaters Soil and Water Conservation District
York River Basin
Eddie and CJ Isbell, Keenbell Farm
Nominated by the Hanover-Caroline Soil and Water Conservation District
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