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Shinkle Recognized for Conservation Efforts
Jeremy Shinkle was recognized by the Scioto Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) and Farm Credit Services as the Outstanding SWCD Cooperator for 2009. Annually, the Scioto SWCD and Farm Credit Services recognize local residents for their commitment to conservation and responsible use of land. Shinkle’s dedication to improving his agriculture practice and installation of conservation practices on his farming operation were major considerations in his selection as the Cooperator of the Year Award. In recent years, Jeremy Shinkle’s Cow/calf operation has become a model for rotational grazing in Scioto County. Collaborating with his grandfather, Mr. Steve Collins, Shinkle attended a Beginner’s Grazing School hosted by Scioto SWCD in 2007 and immediately began to practice some of the principles of managed grazing by installing over 4,600 feet of temporary fencing. Improvement in pasture performance was immediate and Shinkle decided to go further. He applied and was accepted into USDA’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program in 2008. The program provided the financial boost for Shinkle to install 2,075 feet of waterline and five automatic waterers so his cattle don’t have to walk back to the barn for a drink. He installed a 3,000 square foot concrete feeding pad for all-weather feeding during the winter and installed 190 feet of roof gutters and downspouts to keep the feeding area dry and prevent polluted run-off from contaminating the nearby stream. Shinkle corrected a wet spot and erosion problem in his pasture by installing a surface water catchment at the road culvert and 850 feet of underground pipe to carry road water to the creek. Shinkle installed 2 stream crossings to further protect stream water quality and to provide safe, controlled access to pastures on both sides of the creek. Shinkle also initiated a soil testing and fertility program on all his pastures to correct pasture fertility problems and to further boost yields. The paddock system Shinkle laid out in 2007 is working so well, he plans to convert 3,900 feet of fence to permanent fencing. All these improvements are paying off in increased pasture productivity, decreased haying of cattle in the winter and during drought and increased pounds of beef marketed off the farm, all while improving water quality in the creek, soil quality in the pastures and reduced soil erosion off the farm. Through his efforts to improve his farming operation, Jeremy Shinkle is proving the old adage, “Soil conservation doesn’t cost – it pays!” |
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