Chris Henning of rural Jefferson was honored with the Iowa Farm Environmental Leader award at the Iowa State Fair Aug. 18.
The award was presented by Gov Kim Reynolds, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, and Iowa Department of Natural Resources director Kayla Lyons.
Henning owns and manages Prairie Skye Productions Farms near Squirrel Hollow park and the Raccoon River in Franklin Township. More than half her farm acres have been in conservation practices for longer than 15 years, including stream buffers, pollinator habitat, prairie CRP on highly erodible ground and acres of wetlands. One hundred percent of the row crop acres have been in cover crops since 2008. Henning is a community advocate and clean water activist, associate commissioner of local SWCD (Soil & Water Conservation District), member of Women, Food & Ag Network, Practical Farmers of Iowa and IA Farmers Union, manager of the local farmers market, and chair of Raccoon River Watershed Association.
The Iowa Farm Environmental Leader awards recognize the exemplary, voluntary actions of farmers that improve or protect the environment and Iowa’s natural resources. Award recipients have made environmental stewardship a priority by utilizing conservation practices that prevent soil erosion and improve water quality. Recipients lead by example and encourage other farmers to follow.
