New York State Agriculture Commissioner Announces Oechsner Farms...

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball today announced Oechsner Farms of Newfield has been selected for the 2025 New York Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM)-Leopold Conservation Award. The distinguished award honors a farm and its nominating Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) who have gone above and beyond in the management of soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat on working land. Ahead of Climate Week, Commissioner Ball and partners from the Sand County Foundation visited Oechsner Farms to honor Thor Oechsner and Rachel Lodder, who own and operate the farm, during a special ceremony.

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, "Farms like Oechsner Farms play a central role in feeding our families while also protecting soil and water quality in communities across New York State. On behalf of the Department and New York State, I congratulate the Oechsner family and their team on receiving the esteemed AEM-Leopold Conservation Award and the Tompkins County Soil and Water Conservation District for their work with farms in the county and Finger Lakes Region. Their innovation and pride in their work, as well as their commitment to biodiversity and preserving wildlife habitats, are exemplary of the AEM-Leopold mission and an inspiration to other farms following in their footsteps."

Oechsner Farm is a regenerative organic certified grain farm operated by Thor Oechsner and his dedicated team. Together, they farm over 1,200 acres of hard red spring and winter wheats, hulless oats, common and tartary buckwheat, polenta type corn, rye, einkorn, grass/legume hay, and red clover as their main rotational crops, primarily for organic food-grade and craft malt beverage markets. Oechsner Farm is a long-time participant and leader in AEM, regularly working on projects and offering community education and outreach events with the Tompkins County SWCD and other agricultural, conservation, and food system partners. They grow a variety of cover crops for soil building and seed production, continue to innovate with new ways for reduced tillage, nutrient management, and crop rotation in organic systems, and actively manage the land for water, air, and wildlife. Oechsner Farm's vision and work extends well beyond their acres. By starting and operating a grain processing facility, a solar powered flour mill, a bakery, and a pollinator business, they support fellow organic grain farmers, millers, bakers, brewers, beekeepers, and others passionate about food, community, and conservation. A video showcasing Oechsner Farm's conservation efforts will be available on the Sand County Foundation's YouTube page.

Sand County Foundation and national sponsor American Farmland Trust will present Leopold Conservation Awards to landowners in 28 states this year. Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes farmers who inspire others with their dedication to environmental improvement. In his influential 1949 book, A Sand County Almanac, Leopold advocated for "a land ethic," an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage.

New York's longstanding Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) Award paired with the Leopold Conservation Award program in 2020. In partnership with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, the AEM-Leopold Conservation Award honors a farm and its nominating SWCD for their efforts to promote and protect the environment through the preservation of soil and water quality while helping to ensure farm viability for future generations.

Earlier this year, New York State SWCDs were encouraged to identify and nominate the best examples of conservation success in their district. Applications were reviewed by an independent panel of agricultural and conservation leaders from New York.

Kevin McAleese, Sand County Foundation President and CEO, said, "These award recipients are examples of how Aldo Leopold's land ethic is alive and well today. Their dedication to conservation is both an inspiration to their peers as well as a reminder to all how important thoughtful agriculture is to clean water, healthy soil, and wildlife habitat."

New York State Soil and Water Conservation Committee Chair Matt Brower said, "Congratulations to Oechsner Farms and the Tompkins County Soil and Water Conservation District for being selected to receive the AEM-Leopold Conservation Award. The efforts by the Oechsner Farm to protect and improve natural resources while managing a growing farm operation are impressive and they certainly deserve this recognition."

John Piotti, AFT President and CEO, said, "As the national sponsor for Sand County Foundation's Leopold Conservation Award, American Farmland Trust celebrates the hard work and dedication of the award recipients. At AFT we believe that exemplary conservation involves the land itself, the practices employed on the land, and the people who steward it. This award recognizes the integral role of all three."

Sand County Foundation, a national not-for-profit conservation organization, presents the $10,000 cash award through the support of American Farmland Trust, New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Farm Credit East, The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation, Audubon New York, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the New York State Agribusiness Association.

Last year's recipient was Sunnyside Farms of Scipio Center. For more information on the award, visit leopoldconservationaward.org.

ABOUT OECHSNER FARMS

Thor Oechsner brought his skills as a diesel mechanic to a career in farming. With his knowledge of fixing things and a toolbox of conservation practices, this expert troubleshooter has diagnosed how to build his soil's health while growing crops.

Thor grows hundreds of acres of certified organic grains with a dedicated team, but it didn't start that way. He purchased a 15-acre farmstead in 1991 when he ran a Volkswagen repair shop and taught diesel mechanics. He grew his first crops in 1998 on 44 acres of rented land. While gaining farm experience and equipment, he also rented more acreage.

He first approached owners of worn-out parcels of farmland. Later, others sought him out because they wanted their land farmed organically. By cultivating positive relations with neighbors and stewarding rented land as if it were his own, he quit his day jobs by 2005 to farm full time with 400 acres in production.

Today, Oechsner Farms consists of 1,200 acres of corn, winter and spring wheat, buckwheat, rye, soybeans, oats, einkorn, and hay. With his spouse Rachel Lodder, and farm partners Dan Gladstone and Rye Lyczak, they process, clean, and ship food-grade grains to bakeries, flour mills, tortilla manufacturers, malt houses, and distilleries throughout the Northeast. Locally, Thor partnered to establish Wide Awake Bakery and Farmer Ground Flour, a self-proclaimed "micro-mill" that supports local organic grain growers.

Prioritizing soil health has been a key ingredient in the farm's success. As an active participant in New York's Agricultural Environmental Management program, Oechsner Farms is a conservation showcase in Tompkins County.

By practicing conservation tillage, Oechsner Farms has minimized soil disturbance and maintained crop residue on crop fields. This reduces erosion and enhances soil's capacity to build organic matter. Improved soil structure and porosity allows for greater water holding capacity and root structure development, making crops more resilient to storms and drought. A seven-year crop rotation also supports crop vitality while controlling pests and diseases.

Cover crops of peas, turnips, radish, and crimson clover are grown year-round for ground cover, minimizing the potential for soil erosion, and increasing carbon sequestration capabilities.

Oechsner Farms also plants grassed filter strips and pollinator habitats in cooperation with local honey farmers as a mutual crop and pollinator business venture. Filter strips along fields and roadways protect water quality by slowing down runoff from heavy rains. They also provide habitat for beneficial insects, which boosts biodiversity.

Areas that are typically too wet to farm have been planted to permanent pasture grasses to provide wildlife habitat. Thor also decided to rest about 200 acres of long-time leased crop land that he believed needed a break from grain production. He worked with a grass-fed beef farm to plant and graze perennial grasses, which provides the benefits of continuous living cover on the landscape while supporting a fellow farmer.

Oechsner Farms has partnered with Audubon New York for the Bobolink Project, which protects grassland nesting birds. By delaying the hay mowing schedule on 50 acres, birds have more time to nest and successfully raise their young.

Thor's curiosity drives his farm's continual improvement. The former mechanic's commitment to sustainable agriculture has Oechsner Farms running like a finely tuned engine.

NEW YORK STATE AEM AWARD

New York State's annual Agricultural Environmental Management Award winners are chosen from nominees submitted by county Soil and Water Conservation Districts from around the state. The first Agricultural Environmental Management Award was presented in 2002; prior to that, the award was known as the Agricultural Stewardship Award. New York State's AEM framework is a model for the nation as a voluntary, incentive-based approach to protect natural resources and meet the economic needs of the agricultural community.

SAND COUNTY FOUNDATION inspires and empowers farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners to ethically care for the land to sustain water resources, build healthy soil, and enhance wildlife habitat. https://www.sandcountyfoundation.org.