Wisconsin Ag Connection - Geiser Wins 2018 Leopold Conservation Award

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Geiser Wins 2018 Leopold Conservation Award
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 11/16/2018

A Calumet County dairy farmer has been chosen as the ninth recipient of Wisconsin's Leopold Conservation Award. David Geiser, who owns Gold Star Dairy in New Holstein with his wife, Deb Reinhart, will be recognized in December during the annual meeting of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation in Wisconsin Dells. He will also be given a $10,000 cash prize and a Leopold crystal for demonstrating responsible stewardship and management of natural resources.

Geiser is passionate about learning how to best manage the fragile karst topography that his family has farmed between Lake Michigan and Lake Winnebago for more than a century. Shortly after coming home to farm in 1975, he installing a Natural Resources Conservation Service-approved manure storage facility in the 1980s; and established a rotational grazing system for his 100-cow herd in the 1990s.

He was a founding member of the Calumet County Forage Council and received the Midwest Forage Council's Pacesetter Award and the Calumet County Land Conservation Award in 2004.

"David has been an innovative leader in the dairy industry for many years," said Wisconsin Farm Bureau President Jim Holte. "I learned that more than 30 years ago when we met while being involved in Wisconsin Farm Bureau's Young Farmer program. He continues to be a progressive dairyman who strives for excellence when it comes to conservation. Through various management methods he makes sure he is leaving the land better than when he began."

The award is being sponsored at the state level by the WFBF, along with the Sand County Foundation, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, Compeer Financial, Wisconsin Soybean Council, American Transmission Company, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board, Wisconsin Corn Growers Association, Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board, Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association, and We Energies Foundation.

Gold Star Dairy was one of three finalists for the Leopold Conservation Award this year. The others were Laverne Hensen of Mineral Point in Iowa County, and Jeff Lake of Boyceville in Dunn County.

Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the Leopold Conservation Award recognizes extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation. It inspires other landowners through these examples and provides a visible forum where farmers, ranchers and other private landowners are recognized as conservation leaders.

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