Growmark Announces Enduring Farm Winners

Growmark and its FS affiliated companies have named Enduring Farm winners for the 2024 calendar year, in addition to publishing its annual Enduring Report detailing the Growmark System’s environmental, social and governance engagement for the previous calendar year, as part of the System’s sustainability efforts.

Enduring Farms recognizes farms that go above and beyond in their commitment to preserving and enhancing their lands and natural resources for future generations by adopting best management practices that optimize nutrient utilization, leading to long-term soil and water quality.

To be considered for the award, FS companies nominate farms that use certain sustainable management practices on their farms. Farms that implement additional agronomic and environmental management practices can also earn the Enduring Farms Plus designation. The Grigsby family was the Enduring Farms winner. Along with their management team, the family farms in Cass and Menard counties in Illinois, and they pride themselves on adopting conservation techniques that help make them Enduring Farms winners. 

“Our legacy is one of conservation,” said Robby Grigsby. “We use conservation practices such as water-sediment control structures, field buffer strips, selective placement of CRP acres, topsoil regeneration through the use of cover crops, and many other practices to help preserve our soil, manage and protect our water, and ensure that these farmlands remain viable and healthy for future generations,” he added. 

For calendar year 2024, 76 farms earned the Enduring Farms designation, while 96 farms earned the Enduring Farms Plus designation, representing an overall increase of nearly 17% for the total number of farms that received one of the Enduring Farms designations. A full list of winners can be found here.

“We are proud of the conservation practices that the rural families at Enduring Farms are implementing to ensure their farmland remains healthy for future generations,” said Growmark Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Brad Drake. “We hope their commitment to conservation inspires others.” 

Sustainability report

The Endure Report, published alongside the Enduring Farm designations, details the Growmark System’s sustainability efforts while serving our farmer customers. These efforts include supporting and implementing smart stewardship and safety practices across the System, supporting decarbonization technologies and initiatives, and engaging with our communities in ways that support the education of young and junior farmers, offer scholarships, and provide support to other industry advocates.

“In the Endure Report, you’ll read about our efforts to introduce new and innovative products and technologies to help us reduce carbon output, empower our farmer customers to participate in carbon markets, build security into everything we do, and prepare the next generation of leaders in agriculture,” said Drake. “Our mission to help feed and fuel the world drives our initiatives in these areas and motivates us to build on our successes each year.”