Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District Recognizes Individuals for Conservation Efforts

As we get closer to harvest season, the Lower Elkhorn NRD (LENRD) would like to recognize a couple of individuals in our district for their conservation efforts.

At their Awards Banquet this year, the LENRD Board of Directors presented awards to Junior Pfanstiel, McLean, and Allen Gehring, P.E., Lincoln.

Junior and his family were honored as the recipients of the 2022 Sustainable Agriculture Award. The Sustainable Agriculture Award is presented every two years to individuals within our district who have demonstrated a strong commitment to the conservation of soil and groundwater. Junior is a graduate of Randolph High School and received higher education at Northeast Community College and Northwest Missouri State University, where he graduated with his bachelor’s degree.

Junior focuses on soil health minded practices and started implementing his own conservation farming practices in 2015 with no till. In 2018, he added cover crops and in 2020 he added small grains followed by rotationally grazed cover crops. Currently, he grows corn, soybeans, and winter wheat. This year, he added elbon rye for seed, buckwheat, and non-GMO white corn to his list. He also owns his own company – Outside the Box Agronomy LLC.

He led the Farmer to Farmer discussion at the Bazile Groundwater Management Area (BGMA) winter meeting and brought his new High Boy to show. His Hagie sprayer has been converted into an interseeder, allowing him the capability of applying cover crops during the growing season in an established standing row crop. He saw there was a need for this practice by observing and understanding that the timing of planting was an issue.

Junior is always looking for opportunities to try new things. He is currently enrolled in “Soil Food Web” classes. The program was founded by Dr. Elaine Ingham who is widely recognized as the world’s foremost soil biologist. She’s passionate about empowering ordinary people to bring the soils in the community back to life. (www.soilfoodweb.com/about)

Lower Elkhorn NRD chairman, roger gustafson, presents junior pfanstiel with the 2022 sustainable agriculture award.

The LENRD works with various agencies and partners each year as we strive to improve the quality of life for the citizens within our district. The Outstanding Partnership Award, presented to Allen Gehring, P.E., recognizes excellence in community outreach efforts that highlight our mission of protecting our natural resources for future generations.

Allen is a State Conservation Engineer for the Nebraska Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In his role, Allen has been integral in administering and developing Watershed & Flood Prevention Operations (WFPO) projects in the LENRD. His efforts have been instrumental to acquire millions of dollars for planning and potential funding of WFPO water shed projects such as Maple Creek and Battle Creek. In addition, Allen also plays an important role in assessing existing dam structures.

He began his position on March 6, 2016 and is located at the NRCS State Office in Lincoln, Nebraska. Allen was born and raised on his family’s farm in Platte Center, Nebraska. He attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Engineering.

He began working fulltime with NRCS in 1992. He has held many positions with NRCS in Nebraska, Illinois, and Iowa – including serving as the State Conservation Engineer for Iowa NRCS. His current duties primarily include managing the Nebraska NRCS engineering division, which designs and inspects several watershed projects and conservation practices across Nebraska.

Allen Gehring, p.e., receives the 2022 outstanding partnership award from lower elkhorn nrd chairman, roger gustafson.

To learn more about the 12 responsibilities of the Nebraska’s NRDs and how your local district can work with you and your community to protect your natural resources, visit www.lenrd.org and sign up for our monthly emails.