March 28, 2019 – The Soil Conservation Council of Canada (SCCC) announces that Derek and Tannis Axten are the 2018 L.B. Thomson Conservation Award winners. The Axtens were presented this honour at the annual meeting of the Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association held in Regina, Sask. last month.
“The L.B. Thomson Conservation Award is presented annually to recognize individuals, organizations, and others who have made outstanding contributions to improving soil health and water conservation at the regional level in Canada,” says Tim Nerbas, chair of the SCCC. “The Axtens are highly deserving of this award based on their actions and commitments to sustaining the health of their soil and sharing their experience and knowledge with others.”
Derek and Tannis operate a no-till farm in the Minton area and have improved their soil health by seeding intercrops, companion crops and cover crops. Improving soil health has allowed them to reduce synthetic inputs, increase water retention and build organic matter. In 2017, they were recognized as Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers.
The Axten’s motto has become: soil is our most valuable resource, so how can we improve its health? The Axtens are loyal to the soil in every decision made on their farm and they promote the link between healthy soil and healthy food.
“Our farm strives to care for the soil and the biology that it contains,” says Derek. “The bacteria, protozoa, fungi, nematodes, earthworms, etc. create our soil structure and supply our plants with the nutrients that they require. We want to take care of our soil biology so that they take care of our plants. We believe that healthy soil creates healthy plants, which makes healthy food.”
Their ongoing commitment to soil health, their community and the environment make them exemplary recipients of the L.B. Thomson award.
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About the L.B. Thomson Award
The L.B. Thomson Conservation Award was established in 1987 by the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA) Alumni in honour of Leonard Baden Thomson, Director General of PFRA from 1948 to 1956. Under his leadership, PFRA developed and promoted soil conservation practices that minimized the severe wind erosion that plagued the Prairies in the 1930s. Since 1987, this award has been bestowed on 24 individuals and conservation organizations who continue to make significant contributions to soil conservation in Canada.
In 2016, responsibility for this award was entrusted to the SCCC and the Council is proud to continue this tradition.
About SCCC
The SCCC is the only national organization to concentrate on the issues of soil health and soil conservation within a broadly-based landscape context. It works to build a greater understanding of the importance of soil as an essential resource to society by facilitating the exchange of information with all stakeholders. Healthy soils are the foundation of sustainable food production, enhanced biodiversity and cleaner air and water for present and future generations. For more information, please visit, www.soilcc.ca.
Contact
Jim Tokarchuk, Executive Director, 204-792-2424 or jimtokarchuk@soilcc.ca