News Releases - 1998

Carroll County Dairy Farmers Third Farm Stewardship Honorees

Springfield, Ill. -- Lee and Debbie Heeren, who operate a dairy farm at Lanark, in Carroll County, have been named the 1998 recipients of the Environmental Farm Stewardship Award. The award, offered by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency in cooperation with the Illinois Department of Agriculture, will be presented during ceremonies on the lawn of the Director's residence on the state fairgrounds during Agriculture Day events at the Illinois State Fair, Tuesday, Aug. 18. This is the third year the award has been presented and for the first time will carry a $500 prize as well as a permanent sign to be installed at their farm designating them the winners.

The Heerens are in the process of expanding their Holstein operation from approximately 100 to 175 milk cows. They grow high oil corn, soybeans, oats, triticale, peas and soybeans on more than 500 acres, with the majority of the crops used in the dairy operation and the rest being sold.

Heeren was a pioneer in his area in handling animal waste using a buried pipeline distribution system. Waste is stored in an earthen clay lagoon from which it is piped underground to fields twice a year for application as fertilizer. Application is done in the spring and fall when field conditions are good and weather conditions are appropriate to minimize odor problems.

By fully utilizing the manure as fertilizer, and by rotation of crops, the need for commercial fertilizers has been greatly reduced on the Heeren farm, where strips and contouring are used to reduce erosion and alfalfa strains resistant to leafhoppers are planted to reduce the need for chemical pesticides. When commercial fertilizers are needed, only dry varieties are used, allowing safer storage of unneeded amounts for future use.

The operation uses approximately five tons of shredded newspaper each year for highly absorbent animal bedding.

Heeren has been active in the Carroll County Soil and Water Conservation District, serving on the board and on various committees, has been a director of the Farm Bureau board, is currently the president of the Dairy Herd Improvement Association, and is active in several other professional organizations. He and his wife have hosted or co-hosted several tours by agriculture groups and a visit by Japanese citizens studying U.S. dairy farming practices. The couple are leaders in the Future Farmers of America and F-H. They have one son, Josh, and two daughters, Tonya and Tiffany.

Announcing the 1998 winners, Illinois EPA Director Mary A. Gade said "This year's winners typify the best of responsible Illinois farming practices, combining productive daily efforts with careful long-term planning, so that the acres they farm today will still be fertile resources tomorrow."