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Farm Events: |
Farm News: Bragger Named Leopold Conservation WinnercommentsPosted: 04.19.2011
In honor of Earth Day 2011, the Sand County Foundation and the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation are pleased to announce Joe Bragger as the recipient of Wisconsin’s Leopold Conservation Award.
A strong land ethic and outstanding voluntary conservation efforts qualified Bragger’s farm in Buffalo County for the award named in honor of world-renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold. The award, comprised of $10,000 and a Leopold crystal, is now presented annually in eight states to private landowners who practice responsible stewardship of natural resources.
“The Bragger family has used the tools available to all farmers in production agriculture to keep soil in place, to ensure high quality water, and, thereby, has developed their farm as a conserving showcase,” said Dr. Brent Haglund, Sand County Foundation President. “In nearby challenging terrain amidst the Great Depression, Aldo Leopold encouraged farmers in Coon Valley to manage their lands to beat erosion. The Braggers show that by ‘beating erosion’ in a number of smart ways, a determined farm family can keep their farm, their community, and their watershed healthier and more profitable.”
The Bragger Family Dairy, a partnership of Joe and Noel Bragger, and his brother, Dan, is located in the steep and narrow valleys of west-central Wisconsin’s driftless area. While very productive, it also poses challenges in terms of controlling soil erosion and run-off.
Manure from the farm’s 300 dairy cows, 50 beef cattle and 64,000 pullets (young chicken hens) is incorporated onto fields as fertilizer for over 500 acres of corn, soybeans, alfalfa and barley. Another 150 acres of woodlands are managed for wildlife, recreation and timber production. Adding to the diversity, 4,000 brown trout are raised annually in partnership with the local Elk Rod & Gun Club and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in a spring-fed pond on the farm before being released into area streams.
The farm was a participant in the University of Wisconsin Discovery Farms Program, and a number of stewardship practices have been implemented to enhance water quality, soil conservation and profitability.
“We are always looking for ways we can make this farm worthwhile for the next generation,” Bragger said.
“The health of Wisconsin’s landscape is dependent on hard-working farm families who are dedicated to ensuring that Wisconsin’s land, water and wildlife are in better shape than when they found them,” Haglund said. “The high quality and number of nominees in this inaugural year made the selection process difficult but it proves that Wisconsin’s natural resources are being cared for by innovative landowners who want to see them flourish for future generations.”
A special recognition event will be held at the Bragger farm in June. The three other finalists for the award were Jim and Valerie Hebbe of Green Lake County, Bob and Helen Kees of Pepin County, and the Koepke family of Waukesha County. All three are already qualified for the 2012 award. The deadline for other 2012 nominees is August 12. For more information, please visit www.leopoldconservationaward.org.
The Leopold Conservation Award in Wisconsin is made possible through the generous support of the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, American Transmission Company, Rural Mutual Insurance Company, University of Wisconsin-Extension and Farm Credit.
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