The Conservation Awards program or “Banker’s Awards,” as they are commonly known, are coming up soon and your feedback is needed. It’s time to recognize those farmers and landowners who have made outstanding progress implementing conservation methods on their farm.  

They’ve gone above and beyond to preserve Kansas’s vital agricutural and natural resources. 

Any producer that has worked on a conservation effort is eligible for nomination for their diligence. Awards will be presented in the following categories: water quality, water conservation, soil conservation, windbreaks, and wildlife habitat.

Anyone in Barton County can submit a nomination to the Cottonwood Extension District Agriculture & Natural Resource Agent.  They can be submitted by email to aboor@ksu.edu or mailed to our office at 1800 12th Street in Great Bend no later than Nov. 5. The program is sponsored by the Kansas Bankers Association (KBA) in conjunction with K-State Research and Extension and the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism. For information about the awards, please visit the following K-State Research and Extension website: http://www.agronomy.kstate.edu/extension.  

The past few years has seen a reduction in nominations.  The public’s help is vital, and without it, Barton County will have to reevaluate holding the award presentation on a yearly basis. That would be unfortunate, because we have a number of fantastic producers working hard on conservation projects in Barton County, so we need the public’s help to highlight their hard work. Thank you in advance for your nominations!

Alicia Boor is the Agriculture and Natural Resources agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. Contact her by email at aboor@ksu.edu or call 620-793-1910.