Bridgewater Township’s Randy Klager named WCCD’s 2020 Conservation Farmer of the Year
Each year the Washtenaw County Conservation District honors a conservation farmer of the year, tree conservationist of the year, and a small or beginning conservationist farmer of the year. This year the District is recognizing Walter Keppler of Lima Township as the 2020 Tree Conservationist of the Year awardee, Jon Cox of Baseline Farm in Webster Township as the 2020 Beginning Conservation Farmer of the Year awardee, and Bridgewater Township’s Randy Klager as the 2020 Conservation Farmer of the Year awardee.
Each of the awardees will be honored at the 73rd Annual Meeting to be held virtually on Thursday, January 21st at 6:30 pm. Additionally election results will be announced and Dr. Shikha Singh, Regional Coordinator of the Jackson, Lenawee, Washtenaw Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (JLW CISMA) will give a presentation on the top Invasive Species to watch for in our region.
To RSVP to attend the meeting follow the link on their website under events or call (734) 302.8715 or email megan.deleeuw@macd.org.
2020 Conservation Farmer of the Year Awardee, Randy Klager
The Washtenaw Conservation District reports:
Randy Klager of Klager Farms has been a staple in the Washtenaw County Agriculture Community. Randy is a second-generation farmer, and farms with his 23-year-old son. Together, they farm about 1,000 acres of row crops and wheat. The operation has consistently stood out to conservation minded community members for their continued implementation of conservation practice. Randy’s farming primarily takes place in the Saline area and has stood out for his dedication to doing his part to keeping the River Raisin Watershed as free from runoff as possible.
Randy first began getting involved in conservation about ten years ago, when he was approached by former staff from the Washtenaw County Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) field office about participating in Conservation Programs such as the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). CSP selects producers who are willing to take conservation to the next level and rewards them financially. For Randy, this was a no brainer. He already practiced no till, and he already rotated his crops. So, adding a few practices was something he was glad to take on. Through the CSP, Randy implemented a Pest Management program, and installed several grassed water ways around his farm to reduce erosion caused by water.
When asked what guides his dedication towards practicing conservation minded agriculture, Randy replied: “Working to the tune of nature is easier than fighting nature.” He explained that he does not need to reinvent the wheel to implement high quality conservation. For example, in a corn-soybean rotation, he always considers the nitrogen credit left behind from the previous bean crop, as beans are natural nitrogen fixers. As a result, when planning his nutrient management program for the upcoming corn crop, he subtracts the established nitrogen credit from planned nitrogen applications. Additionally, Randy regularly uses soil tests, helping to fine tune his nutrient management. Nutrient levels change year to year based on crops and a surplus of nutrients are often left in the ground. By testing for phosphorus, potassium, and calcium, Randy is not oversaturating the ground and doing his part to avoid generating runoff, that ultimately would enter the Western Lake Erie basin. Again, Randy explained, he is not doing anything radical — just following basic, yet critical, steps to reaching his goals of caring for the River Raisin Watershed while reaching his production goals.
For years Randy has demonstrated a commitment to being a conservation minded farmer. His operation exemplifies how easily adaptable conservation practices can be and the value of getting involved with NRCS programs. While he modestly stressed he is not doing anything other than following common sense practices, the dedication to doing exactly that is what makes Randy a leader in Conservation Agriculture in the River Raisin Watershed, and Washtenaw County as a whole.
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