Agriculture/Forestry

Specific Judging Considerations

• To recognize individuals, businesses, or organizations that have demonstrated exceptional achievement in developing sustainable resource management programs for agricultural or forestry operations
• Relationship between the environmental benefits and the associated economic benefits

2008 Winner

Winner – Robert Thompson Conservation Farm in Niota (McMinn County)

Robert Thompson’s 589 acre, 200 beef cattle farm in McMinn County practices conservation efforts along the Oostanaula Creek and Malone Springs in East Tennessee. These practices include extensive livestock exclusion fencing (4,685 feet), alternative water tanks (six with 6,000 feet of pipeline), and the implementation of rotational grazing. These efforts have improved the health of the cattle herd and water quality. Water quality improvements stem from the reduction of sediment, which can occur when cattle travel over stream banks to reach water, as well as from the decreased amount of livestock waste reaching the stream.