Brubakers Receive Prestigious Environmental Award
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Farming Staff
MOUNT JOY (Lancaster
Co.) Luke Brubaker and sons
Mike and Tony recently re
ceived the prestigious 1999 Na
tional Tyson Poultry
Environmental Award for envi
ronmental quality practices in
stalled here.
The Brubakers were one of
five farms chosen throughout
the country for implementing
conservation best management
practices to improve the envi
ronment.
Don Robinson, administrator
for the Lancaster County Con
servation District, said indus
tries, including pork and
poultry, “are becoming very
much aware of their environ
mental responsibility.” The
Tyson-sponsored award helps
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bring an “awareness to the no
nagricultural community that
farmers are doing the right
thing.”
Luke, in partnership with
sons Mike, 33, and Tony, 28,
manage about 800 tillable acres,
including rented land, and
maintain 470 cows. The Brubak
ers manage 250,000 boilers
under Tyson contract per year.
Two of the three farms are
under farmland preservation,
noted Luke. Another is on the
farmland preservation waiting
list.
Chairman of the county Farm
Service Agency, Brubaker said
that it’s “good for our people to
try to get into the ‘winners’
circle.’ The farmers are good
stewards of the land.”
Mike and Tony Brubaker re
ceived the award in Arkansas in
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Brubaker was one of 22 land
owners on 6.7 miles of the creek
who contributed to the Donegal
Creek Restoration Project, con
ducted over a three-year period
in the late ’9os. The project in
cluded stream restoration work
such as creek fencing, streambed
stabilization, stream habitat im
provement, and other projects.
In ail, said Brubaker, the farm
implemented 17 best manage
ment practices. Included is a
wellhead protection area crucial
to improving water quality on
the farm.
The farm, the “centerpiece of
the award,” said Robinson of
the conservation district, in
cluded tree planting along the
side, of the creek in addition to
creek narrowing, to help keep
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the stream water cool and speed
up the flow to accommodate
trout and other species.
It’s a “very prestigious
honor,” said Robinson.
In December, a team of Tyson
judges arrived from company
headquarters in Springdale,
Ark. on corporate jet to analyze
the farm operations and learn
about the practices to improve
the environment.
Said Brubaker, “We’re not
just doing something better than
anybody else. There are a lot of
good farms we’re not the only
ones who are doing it. We’re just
thankful for everybody’s help.”
Brubaker noted that many
different agencies were involved
Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, April 1, 2000-A35
in the partnership to improve
the stream, including township
officials, USDA, Pennsylvania
Department of Agriculture, the
conservation district, Donegal
Fish and Conservation Associa
tion, and others. The partner
ship of various groups makes a
“perfect mix,” he said.
“There are so many good
things for farmers to participate
in,” Brubaker said. The agencies
are “hoping to promote pro
grams for farmers to do environ
mentally sound things.”
Large family farms such as
the Brubaker operation are
“lightning rods for environmen
tal conservation,” said Robin
son.
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