Scotty and Jo Herriman Receive Oklahoma Leopold Conservation Award

Scotty and Jo Herriman of South Coffeyville have been selected as the recipients of the Oklahoma Leopold Conservation Award®.

The $10,000 award honors farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners who go above and beyond in their management of soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat on working land.

The Herrimans, farmers from Nowata County, were revealed as the award’s recipient at the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts’ Annual Meeting on February 25.

Sand County Foundation and national sponsor American Farmland Trust present Leopold Conservation Awards to private landowners in 28 states. In Oklahoma the award is presented with ITC Great Plains, Noble Research Institute, Oklahoma Conservation Commission, Oklahoma Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes landowners who inspire others to consider conservation opportunities on their land. 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.

Oklahoma landowners were encouraged to apply, or be nominated, for the award. Nominations were reviewed by an independent panel of agricultural and conservation leaders from Oklahoma.

ABOUT SCOTTY AND JO HERRIMAN

Having weathered droughts and the 1980s farm crisis, Scotty and Jo Herriman thought they knew the ups and downs of farming. Although agile in the face of adversity, nothing could have prepared them for a historic flood’s wrath.

The heart of their 2,000-acre farm in northeast Oklahoma sits along the Verdigris River. Fertile river bottom land was cleared and terraced for growing corn, soybeans, wheat and milo in the 1970s, and a riparian area was maintained to prevent soil erosion and provide habitat for wildlife.

It began raining on June 26, 2007, and five days later the Verdigris River crested over 30 feet. A broken levee flooded the Herriman’s home and deluged a local refinery, dumping 42,000 gallons of oil into the river. Everything along the float line turned black, and the flood washed away the topsoil the Herrimans had worked three decades to preserve.

Their farm was nearly decimated with just 13 acres of crops left to harvest. That was followed by poor crop yields in 2008. Scotty says he was pushed to consider changing how he farmed.

Inspired by other farmers having success with reduced tillage, in 2010 he adopted no-till soybeans and strip-till corn. In addition to time savings and less equipment maintenance, Scotty noticed positive changes in his soil. The prior year’s plant-root channels that dig deep into the ground were improving soil infiltration and creating a more stable and resilient soil structure. Future crops were less stressed by drought and pests due to increased crop vigor.

To reduce herbicide use, Scotty planted a cover crop of cereal rye in 2016. Cover crops suppress weeds and leave a mulch layer an inch thick, which further increases soil moisture retention and moderates the soil’s temperature. Today, he sells cereal rye seed to farmers for cover crops and has hosted many farm tours to showcase the soil health benefits of cover crops.

The Herriman Farm was also one site for the Oklahoma Conservation Commission and American Farmland Trust’s “Soil Health Case Studies” in 2022. The study analyzed the financial impacts of conservation practices on 350 acres of the farm. It found the farm’s net income increased by $4 per acre, per year, achieving a 7 percent return on investment.

The Herrimans have been repeat winners in the National Corn Growers Association’s yield contest for dryland corn in Oklahoma. Other sources of pride for Scotty and Jo are their three grown sons, each with agricultural careers.

The Herrimans have always been willing to try innovative techniques, such as terracing, prescribed burning, and brush management. In 1978, they purchased land that included 26-acre Chouteau Lake, the largest lake in Nowata County. The land was full of scattered timber and had poor drainage. Three acres of large trees along the lake act as a riparian area and natural buffer. Several fishing clinics have been hosted at the lake that serves as a popular community resource.

Scotty’s passion for working with other conservation-minded people led the governor to appoint him to the Oklahoma Conservation Commission where he served for a decade, two years as chairman. He also served as president of the Oklahoma Soybean Association.

“Scotty is truly inspirational, full of wisdom and counsel, willing to share and gently guide those around him,” said Kevin Norton, a retired associate chief with the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. “He is absolutely the most humble, peaceful, and optimistic farmer I have ever encountered.”

ACCOLADES

“Scotty and Jo Herriman have a true passion for land stewardship. Their land management practices provide continual improvement of their lands across multiple land resource uses,” said Hugh Aljoe, Noble Research Institute Director of Ranches, Outreach and Partnerships. “Their contributions include serving as leaders in their local community, as well as across the state, and inspiring others to be better conservationists and land stewards.”

“Adversity is inherent to Oklahoma agriculture, and Scotty and Jo Herriman have led the way in finding new ways to overcome the challenges through conservation practices,” said Jeanne Jasper, Oklahoma State Conservationist for the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service. “They have also prioritized sharing the benefits these practices have had for their land and their farm business, so their fellow farmers can succeed as well.”

“Scotty Herriman is the epitome of a conservation and agriculture statesman for Oklahoma. I have known and worked with Scotty and Jo for the last 40 years. Scotty has been a mentor of mine in soybean production, conservation, and soil health. I have often witnessed Scotty proactively seeking out young farmers to establish a relationship. He has counseled flood and drought victims,” said Trey Lam, Oklahoma Conservation Commission Executive Director. “The Herriman family truly preserves the conservation ethic of Aldo Leopold.”

“The Herriman family has long been at the forefront of implementing sustainable conservation efforts on their farm while sharing the importance of conservation efforts with their fellow Oklahoma agriculturalists,” said Kerry Givens, Oklahoma Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture President. “Their love of the land along with their passion to share their knowledge with fellow agriculturalists has made Scott and Jo pillars in Oklahoma's agricultural community.”

“ITC Great Plains extends its congratulations to Scotty and Jo Herriman for being named the 2024 recipients of the Oklahoma Leopold Conservation Award,” said Dusky Terry, President of ITC Great Plains. “Our enduring dedication to promoting land stewardship and conservation allows us to collaborate effectively for the benefit of our communities. We commend both Scotty and Jo for their unwavering commitment to environmental responsibility. Their efforts truly reflect the core values of the Leopold Conservation Award, and we are honored to acknowledge their dedication.”

“These award recipients are examples of how Aldo Leopold’s land ethic is alive and well today,” said Kevin McAleese, Sand County Foundation President and CEO. “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.”

“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,” said John Piotti, AFT President and CEO. “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.”

Among the many outstanding Oklahoma landowners nominated for the award was finalist Cody Sloan of Gore in Sequoyah, Muskogee and LeFlore counties. The first Oklahoma Leopold Conservation Award was presented to Jimmy and Ginger Emmons of Leedey. Last year’s award was presented to Marty Williams of Red Rock.

The Oklahoma Leopold Conservation Award is made possible thanks to the generous contributions from American Farmland Trust, ITC Great Plains, Noble Research Institute, Oklahoma Conservation Commission, Oklahoma Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, Sand County Foundation, Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts, the Emmons Family, and McDonald’s.

For more information on the award, visit www.leopoldconservationaward.org.

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Sand County Foundation inspires and empowers private landowners to ethically manage natural resources so future generations have clean and abundant water, healthy soil to support agriculture and forestry, plentiful habitat for wildlife and opportunities for outdoor recreation. www.sandcountyfoundation.org