PA Farmers Recognized For Improving Water Quality Destined For Chesapeake Bay

The Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts announced this week that Fountain Farm in Boiling Springs, Cumberland County, Saxe Farms in Dushore, Sullivan County, and Mountain Top Enterprise in Harrison Valley, Potter County, have been named recipients of the 2009 Pennsylvania Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Farm Awards.

 

PACD will recognize these award winning farms during the Annual Conservation Awards program of the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts Inc. July 21 in State College. To further acknowledge their accomplishments, the landowners will receive certificates and large “Clean Water Farm Award” signs to erect on their property.

 

The Clean Water Farm Award, initiated in 1986, recognizes farmers within Pennsylvania’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, who manage their daily farm operation while keeping a watchful eye on water quality. The farms’ conservation plans address issues that help control potential pollutants such as eroded soil, pesticides, and fertilizers from entering streams or groundwater supplies.

 

Here's more on the winners:

 

Fountain Farm, a dairy farm operated by Harry E. & M. Ailene Thompson, was nominated by the Cumberland County Conservation District for their labors to protect the waters of the commonwealth and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay. The Thompson’s implement many Best Management Practices (BMPs), a combination of practices determined to be the most effective, and practical means of reducing pollution. They participate in the Environmental Quality Incentive Program and are converting 150 acres to continuous no-till and pest management. The no-till system allows the operator opportunities to spread manure without adversely impacting the environment. The Thompson’s also recently installed a heavy use area protection with manure storage at their heifer facility.

Michael B. Saxe of Saxe Farms operates a 675 acre dairy farm and was nominated for the award by the Sullivan County Conservation District. Saxe has implemented a conservation plan for all the land and participates in contour farming, strip-cropping and crop rotation to reduce soil erosion and storm water runoff. He also erected several structural BMP’s including subsurface drainage, underground outlets, a waste storage facility and a roof runoff management system all assisting with soil and nutrient losses. The Saxe family and Saxe Farms were recently recognized with the Conservationists of the Year Award.

Mountain Top Enterprise, a family-owned Holstein operation, was nominated for the Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Farm Award by the Potter County Conservation District. Phil and Brenda Lehman’s farm consists of 456 acres that are no-tilled allowing the maximum amount of organic residue to be managed. Conservation practices are installed throughout the operation including streambank fencing, a 50-foot buffer and a heavy use area project to reduce the amount of potentially damaging nutrients from entering the waterway. They are working on a manure transfer system and despite the hard economic times are continually striving to improve the operation while keeping the land and water healthy.

Recipients of the annual Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Farm Award are nominated by their local county conservation districts. This annual award program is coordinated by the Pennsylvania Chesapeake Bay Education Office, administered by PACD, a private, nonprofit organization representing Pennsylvania's 66 county conservation districts.

 

The awards are sponsored jointly by the Department of Environmental Protection's Chesapeake Bay Program and the Department of Agriculture to recognize farmers who implement Best Management Practices.

 

The Pennsylvania Chesapeake Bay Education Office conducts numerous activities promoting the theme, "We All Live Downstream."