Missoula, Montana – Thomas Herefords of Gold Creek accepted the 2025 Montana Leopold Conservation Award® during the 106th Montana Farm Bureau Annual Convention at the Hilton Garden Inn in Missoula. The award honors ranchers, farmers, and forestland owners who go above and beyond in the management of soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat on working land. They receive $10,000 for being selected for this prestigious award.

 

Thomas Herefords, owned by Bruce and Tammy Thomas and Richard and Shirley Thomas, have prioritized conservation practices that could improve biodiversity and water quality, leading to healthier cattle, fish, and wildlife. Their vision was set into motion in the early 2000s by enrolling land into an Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) contract and collaborating with several public agencies and private non-profits.

 

The ranchers diverted from flood to pivot irrigation, installed wildlife-friendly fencing, prioritized soil health, and used rotational grazing to improve the quality and quantity of grass. The improvements helped triple the carrying capacity of the ranch’s pastures.

 

Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes farmers and forestland owners who inspire others with their dedication to environmental improvement. In his influential 1949 book, A Sand County Almanac, Leopold advocated for “a land ethic,” an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage.

 

Montana landowners were encouraged to apply, or be nominated, for the award last year. Applications were reviewed by an independent panel of Montana agriculture and conservation leaders. The Montana finalists were Franck and Kari Groeneweg’s Living Sky Grains of Three Forks, and Bart and Wendy Morris’ Oxbow Cattle Company of Missoula.

 

Montana Farm Bureau Executive Vice President Scott Kulbeck, who served on the review panel, noted, “It is rewarding to see a long-time Farm Bureau family being recognized and rewarded for their work to increase the health of their land and the water sustaining their livestock and wildlife on the land.  One of the aspects in their application that I found most impressive was that they have spent their career sharing their conservation strategies with university students and their community.”

 

The Montana Farm Bureau Annual Convention runs through November 20, 2025.

 

The Montana Leopold Conservation Award is made possible through the generous support of American Farmland Trust, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Rangeland Resources Program, Sand County Foundation, AgWest Farm Credit, Montana Grazing Lands Coalition, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Montana Farm Bureau Federation, Ranchers Stewardship Alliance, Soil and Water Conservation Society, Western Landowners Alliance, Western Sustainability Exchange, and World Wildlife Fund.

 

Montana Farm Bureau Federation is the largest general agricultural organization in the state. We exist to lead Montana agriculture toward a future with a prosperous agriculture economy and thriving rural communities. Learn more at mfbf.org and follow us at @MontanaFarmBureau on Instagram or @MontanaFarmBureau on Facebook. 

 

For more information on the award, visit www.leopoldconservationaward.org.