Target: Virginia Reynolds, Landowner in Clarke County, Iowa
Goal: Praise the landowner who wrote conservation practice requirements, such as no-till farming, into her leases.
Worms will now have a better chance at survival, thanks to one environmentally conscious landowner. She has gone to great lengths to advocate for no-till farming on her property and in her community. Praise this farmer for her dedication to conservation.
“They think I’m just the meanest person in the world, but I won’t let them take advantage of me,” stated Virginia Reynolds. She wrote specific conversation practice requirements into the leases for her 625-acre cropland to prevent her tenants from digging up the soil or baling their crops. These methods, detailed in this Forcechange petition, damage the soil and harm precious earthworms. Though some tenants have complained, this initiative has educated local farmers and even prompted them to try other environmentally friendly methods.
Reynolds’ efforts have earned her the 2017 RLWA Rathbun Lake Protectors Award and a 2018 Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award at the Iowa State Fair. Sign below to thank Reynolds for taking this important step in environmental conservation.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Mrs. Reynolds,
More earthworms will go unharmed thanks to your staunch dedication to environmentally conscious farming practices. Your lease requirements have made a tremendous impact on the health and viability of earthworms and the soil that helps them thrive. I would like to thank you for taking such a strong stance for the environment.
No-till farming is on the rise in Clarke County thanks to your decision to write soil and water conservation practice requirements into your leases. Your strong example has provided education and advocation for no-till farming, and extended crop rotations and the use of terraces to prevent soil erosion. I understand that this has caused some conflict between you and your tenants, and I appreciate your willingness to stand up for the health of your soil and the earthworms beneath.
Your decision to choose the environment over convenience is saving earthworms. Thank you for standing up for the worms and their habitat.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Natfot
