The Nebraska Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS) honored five individuals recently at the state chapter meeting in Wahoo. The Nebraska Chapter was also honored at the 80th SWCS International Conference in Costa Mesa, California. SWCS is a nonprofit scientific and educational association dedicated to advancing the science and art of good land use and improvement of natural resources.
State SWCS Chapter Award Winners
Each year, the Nebraska SWCS Chapter recognizes and honors work from people who promote its goals in the state.
Outstanding Service Award
The Outstanding Service Award is given to society members in recognition of unusual efforts in helping the society develop and carry out its program over a long and sustained period.
Craig Derickson, Lincoln, has been a member of Nebraska SWCS since 1981. He served as an officer many years ago in the Panhandle region and has served on various SWCS committees, including the Water Quality Committee and the Science and Policy Committee. He is a former Berg Fellow and SWCS Fellow, and currently an at-large director of the Nebraska chapter.
Derickson worked for more than 40 years with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Conservation and Survey Division of the University of Nebraska to carry out soil and water conservation activities. He worked at the field level to gather scientific data on soils and plants for developing conservation practice standards used by farmers and ranchers to apply conservation practices. He served in local NRCS field offices as a conservationist and later as supervisory district conservationist to direct operations for delivering science-based conservationist assistance. Derickson served at the regional and national level to manage conservation programs that provide funding for NRCS staff to deliver technical and financial assistance to help producers implement conservation practices that improve the environment and on-farm productivity and economic viability.
Derickson also served on many committees and task forces focused on conservation needs, professional development of employees, civil rights and diversity, and special alliances with conservation partners. These experiences with senior leaders in NRCS and conservation partners across the nation prepared Derickson to be a leader in conservation initiatives after his retirement in 2020.
In May 2023, Derickson and eight other motivated conservationists established an independent non-profit, the Nebraska Soil Health Coalition. The purpose of the coalition is to advance producer-centered education, outreach and adoption of soil health management systems to build resilient farms, ranches and communities across Nebraska. In less than two years, the coalition has progressed from a start-up to now a fully functioning non-profit. The coalition has received grant funding to allow it to hire a network director and has launched a pilot project with about 20 participating producers and community leaders near Hastings in south-central Nebraska.
In addition to the work above, Derickson has been assisting the Nebraska Soil and Water Conservation Foundation (NSWCF) to develop strategies for more effective fundraising and philanthropy activities. Derickson is working with the NSWCF to get fresh ideas and potential training on fund raising and development activities. One purpose of the NSWCF is to provide scholarship funding to students enrolled in natural resources and related science-based college programs. Derickson and the Foundation Board would like to increase the foundation financial status to a level that exceeds $100,000.
Honor Award
The Honor Award recognizes non-members for outstanding accomplishments reflecting the society's objectives.
Thomas Hoegemeyer, Lincoln, is a plant breeder and scientist with his own independent company, the Hoegemeyer Hybrid company. After retiring from his family business, Hoegemeyer served as professor of practice in agronomy and horticulture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), where he wrote and co-authored many scientific papers on crop production. Hoegemeyer also taught agriculture classes at Midland College in Fremont.
Throughout his professional career, Hoegemeyer has focused his research and private business activities with the proper use of land, water and natural resources. Hoegemeyer has been involved in plant genetics and related agricultural sciences over the past five decades.
Hoegemeyer promoted findings from the Nebraska Healthy Soils Task Force report. The report concludes that there are two significant barriers to adoption of healthy soil management practices by agricultural producers. The first is uncertainty of the positive economic return on investment in healthy soil management practices. The second is the lack of education and information available to a broader audience.
Hoegemeyer is a founding member and current president of the Nebraska Soil Health Coalition. The coalition is a non-profit organization chartered with the State of Nebraska and is 501(c)(3) authorized as a tax-exempt entity by the Internal Revenue Service. The purpose of the coalition is to advance producer-based education, outreach, and adoption of soil health principles to build resilient farms, ranches, and communities across Nebraska.
Hoegemeyer helped create several important goals and strategies for the coalition to advance the conservation of natural resources in Nebraska, including:
- Building a shared vision across all Nebraskans for increasing the economic, environmental, and societal resilience of Nebraska’s agricultural land resources;
- Enhancing agricultural landowners’ and farm managers’ understanding of and willingness to embrace with their producer operators soil health practices for greater profitability based on ecologically sound principles;
- Advocating for sound policy decisions through the lens of resilient soils while always promoting voluntary actions and respect for property rights; and
- Building public awareness of and appreciation for the multiple ecosystem services provided by enhancing soil resilience of the state’s agricultural lands.
Hoegemeyer was instrumental in working with leadership at the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (NDNR) in securing funding for the coalition to establish its first pilot project and to bring on staff to carry out the plans of the coalition. Hoegemeyer is well-respected by many Nebraska conservation partners and brings strong credibility and technical knowledge to the work of the Coalition.
David Meyer, Aurora, is a retired plant scientist with Corteva Agriscience specializing in regenerative agriculture and plant breeding. Throughout his career, Meyer worked to promote the adoption of sustainable agriculture practices and the integration of human health and viable communities into project planning. He has worked on international projects funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID and recently completed a trip to Tanzania to assist with a church project.
Meyer serves as the president of The Grain Place, an organic farming operation in the Aurora area. Throughout his career spanning more than four decades, he has worked to promote the sustainable use of our natural resources and the proper use of land, water and related natural resources.
Meyer is also a founding member and current board member of the Nebraska Soil Health Coalition. He has helped create several important goals and strategies for the coalition to advance the conservation of natural resources in Nebraska, including:
- Nurturing a producer-led learning community of on-farm research/demonstration, education, mentorship, and support among Nebraska’s farmers, livestock producers, ranchers, and landowners;
- Promoting and strengthening cooperation among producers seeking to improve soil health, water quality, other ecosystem services, and profitability of agricultural lands with specific sub-state regional context;
- Building on the critical livestock component of enhanced soil health to further Nebraska’s rich grasslands endowment and its vibrant livestock industry;
- Advocating, educating and being a conduit between members and available funding entities to enhance the adoption of soil health practices;
- Strengthening coordination, collaboration and communication among producers, other individuals, agribusiness, and organizations seeking to improve soil health and long-term soil resilience.
David was instrumental in working with leadership at the NDNR in securing funding for the coalition to establish its first pilot project and bring on staff to carry out the plans of the coalition. David is a well-respected professional by many Nebraska conservation partners and brings strong credibility and technical knowledge to the work of the coalition.
Merit Award
The Merit Award is given in recognition of an outstanding effort or activity by a group, business firm, corporation or organization that promotes wise land use. There are two recipients this year:
Kay Walter and Tim Rinne, Lincoln, are among the founders of the Hawley Hamlet Neighborhood Garden, a nationally recognized urban agriculture and neighborhood-building effort, containing many native plants, vegetable beds and over 60 fruit and nut trees. Each year, over 20 families from within the block or across the street garden in their own plots to raise food for their households. Greenhouses extend the growing season for salad greens. In 2023, the Hamlet was officially recognized as a farm by USDA. They received the Nebraska Farmers Union Presidents Award in 2024 in large part for their work with the Hawley Hamlet.
As a nonprofit public charity, the Hawley Hamlet's mission is to sustain the garden and offer or partner with organizations that provide educational programming on such topics as permaculture, ecology, soil management, native prairie plants, pollinators, organic gardening, etc. They offer tours to groups and the public. Among many groups touring in 2024 were the Natural Resources Conservation Services leadership and new staff from around the country who were in Lincoln for training. The garden was selected for the 2024 Lincoln Tour for Rewilding Urban Environments.
Recently, Kay and Tim were featured in The Seed, a publication of the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, and the Hawley Hamlet has been named as a land steward affiliate of the NSA. The Hamlet has been featured in national publications including Yes! Magazine and Mother Earth News; in many newspaper and state articles, in Backyard Farmer episodes and TedX Lincoln YouTube episodes.
International SWCS Award Winners
For the fourth year in a row, the Nebraska Chapter received an Outstanding Chapter Award from the international SWCS organization. Just nine chapters were given this award this year, in recognition for the chapter’s success in carrying out its overall program during the past year.
The chapter produces two newsletter editions a year, and hosts an annual state meeting and a legislative/informational breakfast. The chapter’s Facebook has gained regional and national attention. Chapter member spotlights are emailed to members, and the chapter’s historical archives have been digitized for broader use. The chapter supports the UNL Soil and Water Resources Club and two charitable foundations, one with the University of Nebraska Foundation and the other with the Nebraska Soil and Water Conservation Foundation – each provides student scholarships annually to deserving young conservationists. An annual golf tournament is held to raise funds for supporting the foundations and student scholarships. The 2024 annual meeting was held in Scottsbluff and featured talks and tours of conservation activities in the area. Speakers included representatives of the University of Wyoming Extension, North Platte NRD, Nebraska Extension, Meadowlark Hearth Farms, and USDA NRCS.
More information about the Nebraska SWCS Chapter can be found on the chapter's website and Facebook.
