In celebration of Earth Day, the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association recognizes the state’s beef cattle producers—the original stewards of land and natural resources. Justin and Lacie Robbins of Scranton of Robbins Land & Cattle LLC has been named the 2021 Iowa Environmental Stewardship Award Program winner.
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP) recognizes the outstanding stewardship practices and conservation achievements of cattle producers who care for the land with as much dedication as they care for their livestock. Robbins Land & Cattle LLC will compete against nominees from Missouri, Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin. Regional winners for the national award will be announced in late July. Six regional winners will be recognized at the national level, where one is selected as the winner.
Robbins Land & Cattle LLC is situated along the North Raccoon River in Greene County. The enterprise also has pasture and row crop ground in Carroll County, roughly 15 miles from their farmstead. Key features include hills, valleys, and land along the river, which could use “time to heal.”
Justin Robbins uses both flat and rolling pasture land for rotational grazing. Grazing rotations occur frequently—roughly once a week on pasture ground in Carroll County and every three weeks on ground along the riverbank—so native grasses remain ankle high or taller.
“We’ve heavily incorporated cover crops,” Robbins says. He first started utilizing cover crops in 2013, primarily seeding them on harvested corn acres.
He now strives to establish cover crops on at least 50 percent of his farming operation. He sees cover crops as an opportunity to suppress weed pressure, reduce input costs, and retain essential nutrients. From rotational grazing to cover crop seeding, Robbins’ efforts to improve water quality and soil health on his crop acres go hand-in-hand with his purebred Angus operation.
Over the past 18 years, Robbins has dedicated a lot of time and energy to enhancing his farming operation. From rebuilding and implementing farm ponds on pasture ground to establishing cover crops on a large portion of his row crop acres, he strives to leave the land better today than he found it yesterday.
Doug Hawn, his mentor and former business partner, always supported Robbins in his sustainable endeavors. “He was extremely open to cover crops. Everywhere we used them was on his ground,” Robbins said. He continues to build off the foundation he and Hawn established together.
Environmental, economic, resource and sustainability goals:“I want to leave the land better today than how I found it yesterday,” Robbins says. He believes this is his responsibility as a cattle producer and row crop farmer: “to manage weeds and feed the soil.” Robbins plans to achieve this by:
- Incorporating cover crops on at least 50 percent of his row crop acres
- Establishing cover crops on 100 percent of incoming soybean acres
- Maximizing the profitability of manure on his farming operation
- Cleaning up pasture for more intensive rotational grazing
- Turning marginal crop acres into hay or pasture ground
- Engaging with local and state agencies on program development
About the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association: The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association represents nearly 9,000 beef-producing families and associated companies dedicated to the future of Iowa’s beef industry. ICA’s mission is “Grow Iowa’s beef business through advocacy, leadership and education.” www.iacattlemen.org.
