Texas County Conservation District Outstanding Cooperators 2012

Submitted by  Clancy Green, Texas County Conservation District

(From left) State Rep. Gus Blackwell presented the Texas County Conservation District Outstanding Cooperator 2012 Award to Jerry and Linda Lunsford at the Panhandle Ag Appreciation Day on Jan. 24, 2013. The Guymon Chamber of Commerce sponsors the event to recognize the farming and ranching community.

Jerry and Linda Lunsford of Jerry Lunsford Farms near Guymon, Okla., have been selected as the Texas County Conservation District’s 2012 Outstanding Cooperators. The award, presented annually by the Texas County Conservation District, seeks to recognize a local farmer or rancher who has worked with the conservation district and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service to implement progressive, sustainable, and successful conservation programs and practices in their operation. State Rep. Gus Blackwell presented the 2012 award to Jerry and Linda Lunsford at the Panhandle Ag Appreciation Day on Jan. 24, 2013. The Guymon Chamber of Commerce sponsors the event to recognize the farming and ranching community.

The district board of directors selected the Lunsfords out of 18 nominations. The Lunsfords, who have been farming and ranching for 41 years, were chosen not only for their successful implementation of the NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and their active participation in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), but also for their progressive utilization of strip-till farming practices, grazing management, and nutrient management.

Jerry and Linda currently raise wheat, milo, corn, sunflowers, and cattle. They understand the importance of conservation, and started early on to implement practices in their operation that would help conserve moisture and nutrients in the soil. On their pasture and rangeland, the Lunsfords monitor key grazing areas to help assess and meet management goals and objectives. They also rotate feeding areas in order to help improve livestock distribution and to prevent overuse of areas where livestock activity is concentrated. Through EQIP, a new livestock well and tank have been installed, and brush management practices to reduce sagebrush and cactus have been applied to help further improve the quality of their grazing land. Mr. and Mrs. Lunsford have also instituted conservation practices in their farming operation, using strip-tilling, crop rotation, and plant tissue testing to help manage residue and enhance soil quality. An irrigation sprinkler nozzle upgrade was performed to help manage and optimize water usage in their irrigated crops. Additionally, through CRP, the Lunsfords have helped to improve wildlife habitat – planting native grasses, food plots, trees and shrubs, and installing wildlife watering facilities.