KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In acknowledgment of Earth Day, the National Pork Board and the US Poultry and Egg Association (USPOULTRY) have released videos showcasing farms that represent a commitment to sustainable farming and environment stewardship.

Farmers have long understood their dependence on natural resources and the effect those resources have on their livelihood and business.

“On our farm, we are constantly aware of the importance of protecting the environment,” said Keith Schoettmer, a pig farmer from Tipton, Indiana, and the 2015 America’s Pig Farmer of the Year. “As farmers, our livelihood is tied directly to the land, and good stewardship is fundamental to any successful farm.”

A video featuring Schoettmer’s farm and others’ commitments to sustainability can be viewed by clicking here.

Endless View Farm in Broadway, Virginia, and Meiring Poultry Farm in Ft. Recovery, Ohio, have both received USPOULTRY’s Family Farm Environmental Excellence Award for exemplary stewardship by family farms engaged in poultry and egg production.

The Endless View Farm consists of 57 owned acres and 250 rented acres on which broilers, 90 brood cows, 100 sheep and four sows are raised. The farms owners, Stephen and Jackie Lohr, rebuilt two poultry houses lost to a fire with up-to-date technology focused on energy and efficiency. The farm also maintains soil nutrition through a litter management system that uses crop rotation and pasture management. Soil nutrient levels are monitored regularly to ensure poultry litter is not over applied.

The Endless View Farm video can be viewed by clicking here.

Meiring Poultry Farm covers 250 acres with four pullet houses for layers. The farm sells 100 percent of their litter to a third party and uses a composter for chicken mortality. Meiring Poultry Farm has installed field borders, filter strips, wetlands, windbreaks and general tree planting to protect the land and preserve wildlife. The farm also participates in the Conservation Reserve Program to add to its stewardship efforts and reduce soil erosion, improve water quality and increase wildlife habitat.

Meiring Poultry Farm video can be viewed by clicking here.