Land and Nutrient Management
We strive to protect the environment in our day to day operations. Through regular inspections we ensure our procedures meet or exceed federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations. All effluent starts in a lagoon where it is biologically treated to become fertilizer. This nutrient-rich fertilizer is land applied by our specially trained land and nutrient management technicians at agronomic rates.
Our technicians apply effluent in accordance with each farms nutrient management plan. These personnel are required to have and maintain current licenses. Additionally, they are responsible for the upkeep of all mandatory reports and documentation. Best management practices like erosion and sediment control as well as buffer strips and field borders help reduce the movement of soil and nutrients out of spray fields.
As part of our environmental sustainability program, all effluent from company-owned farms is used as fertilizer on our pastures which are in turn used for hay production and grazing for our cattle herd. This ensures that all effluent is recycled. Our land and nutrient management personnel are also responsible for maintaining our commercial cattle herd which consists of Angus and Simmental cattle. All cattle technicians are Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certified and implement our feeding and controlled grazing protocols. Our calves are age and source verified before they are sold.
In addition to recycling effluent into a nutrient-rich fertilizer, we create wildlife habitat on our farms by not only planting wildlife food plots but allowing natural vegetation to grow along edges of fields. These areas provide food and cover for local wildlife such as Bobwhite Quail, rabbits and songbirds as well as help reduce soil erosion and enhance water quality. On some of our larger complexes, we participate in the NC Wildlife Resource Commissions C.U.R.E Program.