Des Moines, Iowa (IARN) — Governor Kim Reynolds, Lieutenant Governor Chris Cournoyer, Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, and Department of Natural Resources Director Kayla Lyon recently honored 40 Iowa farm families with the Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award — and two of the farm families were from our part of northwest Iowa.
Those in charge tell us the prestigious award celebrates farmers and farm families who voluntarily take significant steps to protect and enhance Iowa’s natural resources while also serving as role models in their communities.
Sioux County farmers Taylor Kats and Jessica Kats and Lyon County farmer Nathan Nieuwendorp were among those honored.
They say the honored families have adopted a variety of proven conservation practices, including cover crops, wetlands, bioreactors, saturated buffers, grassed waterways, buffer strips, terraces, and no-till farming. Their efforts directly support the goals of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy by improving water quality and soil health. Beyond their own farms, these families demonstrate that conservation is both practical and impactful, inspiring others across the state to follow their lead.
The winners were chosen by a committee representing conservation and agricultural groups. A total of 861 Iowa farm families have been recognized since the creation of the Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award in 2012.
The 2025 award recipients, listed alphabetically by county, are:
Russell Olson and Hayden Olson – Olson Farms, Worth County
Ross Havens – Nichols Farms, Adair County
Nick Helland – Helland Farms, Boone County
James and Jenny Adams – Buena Vista County
James Hepp – Hepp Farms, Calhoun County
Ryan Bowman- Ryan and Kelsey Bowman Family, Carroll County
John Black – Cedar County
Jeff Rooney and Karla Rooney – Rooney Farms LLC, Cerro Gordo County
Bruce Husman and Cindy Husman – Husman Farms, Cherokee County
Brent Swart and Steve Swart – Swart Farms, Clay County
Joe Sass – Clayton County
Nathan Goedken – Delaware County
Lillie Beringer Crock – Beringer Family Farms, Dubuque County
Rick Matt and Damien Matt – Varykino, Inc, Fayette County
Doug Alert and Margaret Smith – Ash Grove Farm, Franklin County
Justin Robbins and Lacie Robbins – Robbins Land and Cattle, Greene County
Doug Christiansen – Grundy County
Grant Johnson and Vernon Johnson – Grundy County
Lance Moeller and Jerry Moeller – Grundy County
Michael Murphy and Jason Murphy – Grundy County
Lynn Knutson and Joyce Knutson – Lund Heritage Farm, Hamilton County
Mike and Michelle Coleman – Humboldt County
Chris Lee – Ida County
David Dermody and Travis Dermody – Iowa County
Dirk Van Wyk and Jourdan Van Wyk – Van Wyk Family Farms, Jasper County
Rick Vos – Jasper County
Clinton Mikesell – Keokuk County
Sara Hanson Pearson and Robert Pearson – Prairie Sky Farm, Kossuth County
Bill Benjamin – Lee County
Nathan Nieuwendorp – Emery Creek Inc., Lyon County
Jerry Kincade and Becky Kincade – Kincade Farmland Trust, Madison County
Jackson Drost and Amanda Drost – Drost Farms, Mahaska County
Tony Brink and Roberta Brink – Marshall County
Mike Deahr – Deer Haven Farms, Muscatine County
Patrick Dipple and Katherine Dipple – Muscatine County
Terry Gleaves – Pottawattamie County
Wesley Henry – Pottawattamie County
Tom and Kaitlin Geake and John and Cathy Geake – Sac County
Taylor Kats and Jessica Kats – Sioux County
James Harrison and Sheri Harrison – Story County
KIWA Staff File Photo
