Indianapolis -- Fifty-five farmers were honored yesterday for the work they do to promote soil health and water quality on their Indiana farms. These special Hoosier producers received the prestigious River Friendly Farmer conservation award during ceremonies at the Indiana State Fair. The award is sponsored by the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (IASWCD) and Indiana Farm Bureau, Inc.

"We have an impressive group of recipients this year" says Ray McCormick, IASWCD president. "The conservation practices these farmers use improve soil health on their farms not just for themselves but for future generations.

Forty-two of the 55 River Friendly Farmer award winners were able to attend the ceremony yesterday at the Indiana State Fair. High resolution photos and more information on the winners is available here.

"Our River Friendly Farmer winners know soil is a complex living ecosystem and we all have an obligation to sustain and improve it. That's what they are doing to conserve our natural resources every day," adds McCormick. 

The 2012 River Friendly Farmer recipients represent grain, livestock and poultry producers from watersheds in 40 Indiana counties. They join an elite group of 600 winners since the award was first given in 2000 to Hoosier farmers who use exceptional conservation practices to improve soil health and protect water quality.

Additional sponsors of the award include the Indiana State Department of Agriculture Division of Soil Conservation and the the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.  

Recipients were honored by Lt. Governor Becky Skillman and Indiana Farm Bureau President Don Villwock. Also on hand for yesterday's ceremony was USDA NRCS State Conservationist Jane Hardisty and President Abraham Lincoln (played by Wilbur Tague of Brownsburg, IN) who helped celebrate the USDA's 150th anniversary.

Photos of 2012 award winners are available online, as well as more information on their conservation and farming achievements at: http://www.iaswcd.org/district_tools/RFF/rff2012recipients.html. 

1. Adams County
   Michael G. Werling
    
2. Clay County
   Joe Edwards
    
3. Clay County
   Tim Stearley
    
4. Clinton County
   Clint Orr
    
5. Daviess County
   Randall Byrer
    
6. Dearborn County
   John Seubert
    
7. Decatur County
   Fred Fry
    
8. DeKalb County
   Douglas and Corinne Houser
    
9. Dubois County
   Norbert Begle
    
10. Dubois County
    Stan Leinenbach
     
11. Elkhart County
    Keith E. Miller
     
12. Elkhart County
    Mike Neff
     
13. Fayette County
    Steve Wollyung
     
14. Franklin County
    Lance Cox
     
15. Franklin County
    Calvin Finch
     
16. Gibson County
    Jeff, Joe, Mark, Rick, and Stan Ziliak
     
17. Hendricks County
    Charles Brown
     
18. Hendricks County
    Jack Maloney
     
19. Howard County
    Richard Byrum
     
20. Howard County
    Stephen Byrum
     
21. Huntington County
    Tom Reed
     
22. Jay County
    Barry Fennig
     
23. Jay County
    Stephen Fennig
     
24. Knox County
    Scott Hagemeier
     
25. Kosciusko County
    Randy Beer
     
26. Kosciusko County
    Darrel Byrer
     
27. LaGrange County
    Andy Green
     
28. Miami County
    Ronnie, Maxine, Clint, Beth, Ethan, and Brady Manning
     
29. Newton County
    Sigmund Boezeman
     
30. Newton County
    Douglas Gerbracht
     
31. Noble County
    Steve Phares
     
32. Owen County
    Steve Worland
     
33. Pike County
    Kevin and Kenny Mundy
     
34. Posey County
    Robert Fehrenbacher
     
35. Pulaski County
    Dale Gudeman
     
36. Putnam County
    Ron Alcorn
     
37. Putnam County
    Byron Gough
     
38. Scott County
    Marvin Rode
     
39. Spencer County
    Chad Goldman
     
40. St. Joseph County
    Bill Lappin 
     
41. St. Joseph County
    Dale and Dorothy Stoner
     
42. Starke County
    Bob Coffin
     
43. Starke County
    Wayne Emigh
     
44. Tippecanoe County
    Brian Buck
     
45. Vanderburgh County
    Steve Jackson
     
46. Vermillion County
    Robert Ellis
     
47. Wabash County
    Clif and Randy Airgood, Airgood Farms
     
48. Warren County
    Mark and Carolyn Straw
     
49. Washington County
    David Hoar
     
50. Washington County
    Jerry Trueblood
     
51. Wells County
    Alan Schwartz
     
52. Wells County
    Alan Stout (deceased)
     
53. White County
    Steve Carlson
     
54. Whitley County
    Gary Hoffman
     
55. Whitley County
    Peter Rouch