Downey Ranch: Stewards in the Flint Hills

Barb Downey and Joe Carpenter with Downey Ranch were honored as the 2024 Environmental Stewardship Award National winners. Hear how their family navigates transition planning with their two daughters, how they initiated rotational grazing and bale grazing, and their experience with GPS collars on their cattle. Through experimenting with different practices, Downey Ranch has found ways to save on input costs and time while dramatically increasing their forage’s nutrients and organic matter. The ESAP Program is generously sponsored by USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Corteva and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.