Back in the spring of 2019, the Alliance’s Kim Woodwell worked with Choose Clean Water Coalition on a video to help illustrate to Richmond lawmakers the importance of funding for agricultural best management practices. These are things that farm operations can build or implement to not only improve their farm operations, but also water quality for themselves and neighbors downstream. You may remember, these programs were funded at record levels that year, so you can be assured, the video is good.
We’re excited to announce that the Hermes Creative Awards agreed because they awarded the video Gold Winner status!
The video highlights projects on three farms across Virginia. Kim was involved with the story of Shenandoah County D & M Farms in Edinburg where they received cost-share funding to construct a barn to move their feeding operations under cover, reducing nutrient and sediment runoff into local streams. When the video was filmed, the barn was not yet complete, but we checked in and it is now! Here are some photos:
In addition to the cleaner water benefits this barn provides, we are thrilled that the folks at D & M Farms also report the barn has improved their farm operations. It keeps their livestock out of the mud for feedings and they are able to collect manure that could have otherwise escaped into the waterways. It’s win-win for the farm and the downstream watershed!