Farm Bureau Press

Terry and Lori Dabbs of Stuttgart were named as South Region winners of the Conservation Legacy Award by the American Soybean Association.

The Conservation Legacy Award is a national program designed to recognize the outstanding environmental and conservation achievements of soybean farmers, which help produce more sustainable U.S. soybeans.

The Dabbs’ farming legacy focuses on water conservation. “Water is the most important thing to our farm,” Terry says.

Both the Dabbs’ LTD Farms and Lori’s family operation, Hargrove Farms, Inc., focus on growing corn, soybeans and rice in a minimum-till setting.

Lori says many of their stewardship practices are specific to the area because water quantity is a big concern, with irrigation efficiencies and water conservation primary points of focus.

“One of our greatest challenges in our area is the availability and the competition for surface water,” Lori explains. “The water conservation efforts on our farm really began before my grandparents ever purchased the farm.”

“One of our greatest challenges in our area is the availability and the competition for surface water,” Lori explains. “The water conservation efforts on our farm really began before my grandparents ever purchased the farm.”

The award winners were recognized at the annual ASA Awards Celebration event during Commodity Classic on March 10. Les Seiler of Fayette, Ohio and the Northeast Region took home the overall title. Other regional winners included Tom Perlick of Washburn, Wisc., and Michael Vittetoe of Washington, Iowa.