Castlens earn Conservation Legacy Award

PRINCETON, Ky. — The American Soybean Assoc. (ASA), along with sponsors Monsanto and The Corn and Soybean Digest, has revealed its winners of the 2009 Conservation Legacy Awards, and the Kentucky Soybean Assoc. (KSA) is proud to announce that members Rick and Philip Castlen are the Southern Region’s winners.

The program is designed to recognize the outstanding environmental and conservation achievement of U.S. soybean farmers. Judges look for dedication to the land through cropland management practices, farmstead protection and conservation and environmental management.

Rick and Philip Castlen have been committed to conservation for more than 25 years. With their 1,000 acres of corn and 1,000 acres of soybeans they practice a 100 percent no-till operation in Owensboro. They work to correct erosion and drainage problems with their landlords and have been known to incur construction work at their own expense to control erosion where landowners are not able to install needed conservation practices.

The Castlens have 15 acres of wetlands devoted to wildlife and have active CRP contract acres where they have built grassed waterways or filter strips.

The winners and their spouses received an expense-paid trip to the Commodity Classic in Dallas, Texas, where they were recognized at the ASA Awards Banquet. They were also featured in the February issue of The Corn and Soybean Digest.

Women in Ag award nominations wanted

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Purdue University Women in Agriculture team is seeking nominations to recognize two women who have positively influenced the agriculture industry.

Two awards will be given this year: the Leadership Award and the Achievement Award. Previous winners of the Leadership Award have been agribusiness leaders, policymakers or members of an agricultural organization. The Achievement Award recognizes women who have started their own agricultural business, work as a partner on their family farm and are active in their community.

Anyone can make a nomination. A downloadable application is available at www.ces.purdue.edu/wia/ awards.html and should be submitted to Stacy Clupper, with extension in Blackford County and a member of the Women in Agriculture Team, by
May 15. The application must include two letters of support.
Nominees must have made a positive impact in agriculture, be a resident in Indiana, be part of an agriculture business, farm or organization that operates in Indiana, not received the award in previous years and be present for the award ceremony on Aug. 7.

Each winner will receive a gift and be recognized at the 2009 Indiana State Fair. For more information contact Clupper at 765-348-3213 or via e-mail at cluppers @purdue.edu

FCS employee celebrates 50 years

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Meirl Williams began working for Farm Credit Services of Mid-America on March 1, 1959, when she was just 17. She now works as a customer service representative with the Farm Credit offices in Cookeville and Crossville, Tenn.

Williams has also been a customer of Farm Credit, taking out loans with her husband, Hugh, to buy a 40-acre farm 40 years ago. Today, they live on an 84-acre farm, in a renovated farmhouse also purchased with loans from Farm Credit.

To honor her 50 years of service, more than 100 customers and friends attended an anniversary celebration on Feb. 27 in Cookeville, where she received an engraved silver tray, a grandfather clock and a proclamation making March 2, 2009, Meirl Williams Day at Farm Credit Services of Mid-America. She also learned that the flag flying over the U.S. Capitol Building that day was in her honor, and she will receive the flag and official certification.

The Cookeville and Crossville offices are home to 10 staff members who serve eight counties and do $200 million in business.