In the News

Sand County Foundation, the Utah Farm Bureau Federation, the Utah Cattlemen’s Association, and Western AgCredit were pleased to present the 2009 Leopold Conservation Award to Butch and Jeanie Jensen and their Tavaputs Ranch in Carbon County.

“The Jensens’ commitment to the health of the natural resources on their land is truly exemplary,” said Dr. Brent Haglund, Sand County Foundation President. “Perhaps more importantly, they are dedicated to sharing their land management approach within and beyond the agricultural community, as passing their land ethic on to future generations.”

The Jensen family manages natural resources on its land in a manner that allows them to improve and flourish over time. They use rotational grazing, which helps greatly with vegetation improvement. They also employ sagebrush management techniques, such as prescribed burning, to improve forage for cattle and wildlife, including a significant sage-grouse population.

The location of the Jensens’ ranch makes it prone to drought every 10 years. Thus, they must conserve water as much as possible. They have developed springs and constructed a large number of ponds. At their feedlot, the Jensens have fenced livestock out of live water, built runoff ponds, and drilled a well for feedlot stock water, all of which helped to solve the issue of water pollution from the feeding operation.

The Jensen family’s commitment to conservation and agriculture does not stop at their ranch’s borders. Butch was Vice President of the Utah Cattlemen’s Association and, for 17 years, has been chairman of the Taylor Grazing Board, which decides how range-improvement funds are spent in the local grazing district. The ranch has also been home to several University of Utah and Utah State University research projects.

The Leopold Conservation Award, named in honor of world-renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, is comprised of $10,000 and a Leopold crystal. The award is presented annually in seven states to private landowners who practice responsible land stewardship and management.

The 2009 finalists, listed alphabetically, are:

* Della Ranches, Tanner family, Box Elder County

* Heaton Ranch, Karl & Raymond Heaton, Kane County

* Red Pine Land and Livestock, Osguthorpe family, Summit County

* Tavaputs Ranch, Butch & Jeanie Jensen, Carbon County

The Jensens were presented the Leopold Conservation Award Nov. 19 at the Utah Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in Layton.

“We are very excited to present this award on behalf of the farmers and ranchers of Utah,” Leland Hogan said. “This award, however, is great for all of Utah because the recognition and funding helps to preserve and enhance our open space. Utah’s farmers and ranchers have a long history of land preservation and a deep commitment to preserving Utah’s natural resources. As stewards of the land we want to ensure that history continues well into the future.”

The panel of judges for 2009 was comprised of:

* Roger Banner – Utah State University, College of Natural Resources

* Kyle Stephens – Utah Department of Agriculture and Food

* Randy Parker – Utah Farm Bureau Federation

* Darrell Johnson – 2008 Leopold Conservation Award winner