ISDA names Red Gold Stewardship Award winners
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A family farm in northeast Ohio is the first-place winner in an annual contest sponsored by Elwood-based Red Gold and the Indiana State Department of Agriculture that recognizes agricultural operations for their conservation efforts.
Schulte’s Produce LLC of Pandora, Ohio, is the first-place winner of the Red Gold Stewardship Award, now in its 16th year. The award is presented to Red Gold tomato growers for their soil and water conservation practices.
“Our growers are committed to providing healthy, nutritious food for an ever-growing population, while never losing sight of properly taking care of the land,” Curt Utterback, agriculture director for Red Gold, said in a news release. “Many of the Red Gold growers are multi-generational operations, and working toward sustainability is a priority to ensure future opportunities for themselves and others.”
Schulte’s Produce has grown tomatoes since 1975 and also grows squash, cabbage, peppers, corn, soybeans and wheat, the news release said. The farm employs a host of practices to promote soil health and water quality, including the use of cover crops, regular soil testing and reduced tillage.
Schulte’s received a $1,000 scholarship for its first-place award and the option to ship an extra truckload of tomatoes per day during harvest season.
The second-place winner was Lievens Bros. Farms Inc. of Petersburg, Michigan. The Lievens family grows tomatoes and traditional row crops and employs conservation practices such as grassed waterways and filter strips, variable rate nutrient applications and cover crops.
Lievens Bros. won a $500 scholarship and the opportunity to ship an extra half truckload of tomatoes per day during harvest.