Conservation Farm Family of the Year Award presented

WI Land+Water has announced Roger Bindl of RB Farms in Sauk County as the recipient of the WI Land+Water’s 2025 Conservation Farm Family of the Year Award. This annual award recognizes Wisconsin landowners who demonstrate outstanding achievements in incorporating conservation practices into their farming operations for the betterment of their land, water, and communities.

Roger farms 289 acres and rotationally grazes 45 cow-calf pairs. From the start of his solo farming operation in 2010, renting his grandfather’s farm, Roger placed the acreage in no-till. Shortly after, he began incorporating cover crops into his rotation of corn, soybeans, alfalfa, and forages for his grazing herd.

The Honey Creek Watershed runs through his farm, making it a natural decision for Roger to implement conservation practices to benefit the watershed and build resilient, healthy soil.

His efforts were instrumental in founding the area’s producer-led watershed group, the Sauk Soil and Water Improvement Group (SSWIG), where he serves as President and lead farmer.

Roger has been involved in events and projects every step of the way, advocating for soil and water health. His hands-on involvement in grant writing, cost-share programs, and peer-to-peer education has made an impact locally and across the state. Roger regularly hosts pasture walks, field days, and workshops, sharing his experiences with no-till farming, rotational grazing, and cover crop trials.

WI Land+Water will feature RB Farms in a short film later this summer. 

---