Wellington residents get conservationist award

This year's Outstanding Conservationist award presented by the Fort Collins Conservation District goes to Allan Winick and his daughter, Nicole Sterler, of Groff Ag in Wellington.

Winick and Sterler received the award from conservation district president Troy Seaworth on Aug. 14 during a conservation tillage field day.

Groff Ag designs and manufactures residue management attachments and fertilizer attachments for planters and strip-till machines. The whole idea of conservation tillage, according to Seaworth, is to leave crop residues on the soil surface to minimize soil erosion via wind and water and to improve soil tilth. It also minimizes water loss from evaporation from the soil surface.

The fertilizer attachments make applications more efficient, reducing the overall amount of fertilizer used.

Groff Ag distributes its products in 17 states, which has a huge impact on conservation, Seaworth added.

"They contribute greatly to the conservation of land and water," he said.