The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection recognized three District Conservationists with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for their work in helping farmers enroll in the Conservation Stewardship Program.

The Conservation Stewardship Program has brought $6.6 million dollars in 2010 through 986 contracts with farmers. Tammy Lindsay of Chippewa County, Mark Biel of Pierce County, and Barry Bubolz of Shawano County combined are responsible for over a quarter of those contracts.

TOP CONSERVATIONISTS: From left, Pat Leavenworth, State Conservationist for NRCS in Wisconsin, NRCS District Conservationists Tammy Lindsay of Chippewa County, Barry Bubolz of Shawano County, and Mark Biel of Pierce County, and DATCP Board Chairman Andy Diercks.

"CSP is a voluntary program that encourages good conservation on farm and forest land," says Pat Leavenworth, NRCS State Conservationist for Wisconsin. "CSP rewards farmers who are already doing conservation and provides them extra incentive and technical assistance to do more.

"NRCS quietly goes about doing great conservation work all year," explains DATCP Board Member Margaret Krome. "It's great that DATCP is taking a moment to recognize some of the exemplary work that its partner agency is doing."

The Conservation Stewardship Program is currently in its third signup. Farmers and private forestland owners have until Jan.7 to go into their local NRCS office to enroll in this ranking period.

"While it takes awhile to get a national program of this size going, Tammy, Mark and Barry jumped right in," Krome says. "They immediately saw the benefits of this program and made sure the farmers they work with were rewarded by enrolling."