The Hillsdale Conservation District awarded Lauren and Vicki Smith the title of 2020 Conservationists of the Year.
The district supports farmers in making conservation decisions at the local level while providing technical assistance from the government, according to Allison Grimm, Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program technician..
Each year, the district chooses an award recipient who effectively implements conservation practices and is active in their community. The award has been in place since the 1960s.
“Lauren and Vicki are very open and willing to learn about programs to better their land,” Grimm said. “They’re great neighbors who care for other people.”
The Smiths own 100 acres of farmland, on which they grow corn and soybeans; 67 acres of woodland; and 88 acres of grassland. They have consistently practiced conservation techniques since purchasing the farm in 1990, and became MAEAP verified in 2020.
According to technician Cody Birdsell, MAEAP verified farms are committed to voluntarily preventing or minimizing agricultural pollution and risks. The verification process involves two visits from a technician to enroll farmers and contact the state, and a third visit from an outside party that checks the farms records and walks through its operations.
Birdsell said the Smiths deserved recognition for working to meet the requirements for MAEAP verification.
“They bought into the program very well,” Birdsell said. “We’ve got to protect our natural resources by keeping good air quality and clean water, and this benefits the farmers, too. It’s about doing the right things.”
The Smiths became MAEAP verified in the categories of farmstead, cropping, and forest, wetland, and habitat systems. This includes protecting the soil from erosion by not tilling the land, soil testing to reduce fertilizer runoff into public water, and clearing out unhealthy trees in their woodlands.
“Conservation is just being a good steward of the land we’ve been blessed with,” Lauren Smith said. “The freedom to be on land is exciting. Sometimes it amazes me that I put seeds in the ground and can get crops to grow.”
Lauren worked as a veterinarian with Vicki as his assistant in Kalamazoo before moving to Hillsdale.
Jennifer Bowers, one of the Smiths’ five children, said her parents always had a respect for all of God’s creations.
“People would tell me how compassionate he was with them and their animals,” Bowers said. “They’re big-hearted, big family people.”
Bowers said her parents — who have been married for 53 years — taught their children to be kind and slow to judge, as everyone has different life experiences, as well as to be financially responsible.
“Learning to live somewhat frugally was instilled in us as children,” Bowers said. “When I had to raise my own family, it made it easier for me to make wise decisions.”
Smith said farming can be difficult and unpredictable, especially when it comes to grain markets.
“Being able to make a profit is the main goal,” Smith said. “Sometimes you make the right decision, and sometimes you don’t.”
Bowers said she is very proud of her parents, but not surprised that they received the conservation award.
“My dad puts in the time and effort,” Bowers said. “He loves conservation and science and wants what’s best for the land. He does the research to make that happen.”
