The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) announced today that Parks Ranch in Goliad County, Texas, was selected as one of seven regional winners of the 2022 Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP). The ranch was recognized during the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show in New Orleans.
“Farming and ranching families across the country continue to incorporate practices that protect and preserve land and water resources for future generations,” said NCBA President Don Schiefelbein. “These regional winners represent the cattle industry’s commitment to environmental stewardship.”
Established in 1991, ESAP celebrates outstanding land stewards in the cattle industry. The regional winners will compete for the national award, which will be presented during NCBA’s Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., April 24-27, 2023. The 2022 Environmental Stewardship Award Program Regional Winners are:
Region I: Lamb Farms, Inc., Oakfield, New York
Region II: Carter Cattle Company, LLC, Pintlala, Alabama
Region III: Huth Polled Herefords and S&H Livestock Enterprises, LLC, Oakfield, Wisconsin
Region IV: Parks Ranch, Goliad County, Texas
Region V: Mannix Brothers Ranch, Helmville, Montana
Region VI: Fulstone Ranches, Smith, Nevada
Region VII: Jorgensen Land & Cattle Partnership, Ideal, South Dakota
“David and Matt Crow are exemplary stewards of the landscape and in the community, a model for cattlemen everywhere to learn from and to follow to advance the knowledge of resource stewardship throughout our industry,” said Stephen Diebel, Texas Grazing Land Coalition chairman. “They understand the vital need for resource stewardship not only for their business, but also for the future of the industry.”
Raised in Corpus Christi, David Crow started his career with his family’s trucking and concrete business, but his passion for the cattle industry drove him to pursue ranching. The first-generation cattle producer bought his first cattle in 1978 and purchased the 4,200-acre Parks Ranch in 2000. David and his son, Matt, have a strong history of managing coastal prairie consistently implementing conservation management techniques including winter and summer prescribed burns, brush management, and rotational grazing plans. These techniques have resulted in a greater density and diversity of native grasses and forbs, which in turn support a greater diversity of native wildlife, including white-tailed deer and bobwhite quail. The Crows continue to conduct quail and deer surveys as a tool to measure the success of their efforts, maintain healthy populations, inform their habitat management practices, and achieve their goals of maintaining a healthy coastal prairie that supports a diverse array of species.
“We’re not just about the cattle,” said David Crow of Parks Ranch. “It’s about the biodiversity of the land, and we’re mindful of it.”
ESAP is generously sponsored by companies and federal agencies who share the cattle industry’s commitment to caring for the environment and protecting natural resources. Sponsors including U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, Corteva Agriscience, McDonald’s, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service partner with NCBA to promote environmental stewardship throughout the beef supply chain. For more information, visit www.environmentalstewardship.org.
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