(Des Moines) A Red Oak man was one of three outstanding agriculture leaders honored by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig at the Iowa Agribusiness Showcase.
Naig presented the Secretary’s Iowa Ag Leader Award for Conservation to Certified Crop Adviser Stephen Eschenbach of Red Oak, Jim Webster of Dysart, and AgVantage FS of Waverly. The award is presented to businesses and individuals who dedicate their time and talents to advancing agriculture.
Stephen Eschenbach is part of the seed and agronomy department at United Farmers Cooperative in Red Oak. He has been critical to the success of the Walnut Creek Watershed Project and the adoption of cover crops in southwest Iowa. From the beginning of the water quality initiative, Eschenbach has been a leader in identifying ways to incorporate cover crops into current agronomic systems. From planting experimental plots to identifying cost-efficient ways to seed cover crops, Eschenbach has led the way. He is the person others go to for advice on using cover crops in southwest Iowa. Last fall, Eschenbach helped producers plant more than 18,000 acres of cover crops in Montgomery and surrounding counties.
