Congratulations to our 2025 River Friendly Farmer, Duane Hieger!
INDIANAPOLIS – Fifty-three Indiana farmers were recognized on August 6 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds for their exceptional commitment to conservation and land stewardship during the 2025 River Friendly Farmer Award Ceremony.
Held in the 4-H Exhibit Hall Auditorium, the ceremony honored farmers who have implemented proven conservation practices—such as cover crops, no-till farming, and field borders—to reduce erosion, improve water quality, and build healthy soils. These efforts not only protect Indiana’s rivers, streams, and lakes, but also contribute to the health of waterways far beyond state lines.
Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith addressed the honorees and their families, commending their dedication to preserving Indiana’s natural resources.
Duane Hieger, nominated by the Wayne County Soil and Water Conservation District, produces corn, soybeans, wheat and barley on his rural Fountain City farms and utilizes subsurface drainage, cover crops, grassed waterways and crop rotation as primary conservation management strategies. Other conservation practices include woodlands, providing habitat for many wildlife species.
Conservation practices are important to Duane as he notices the soil is healthier; promoting a higher earthworm population which in turn improves water infiltration with less runoff during storm events and decreased erosion due to cover crop residues.
Duane shares his passion for conservation with his two sons and offers this advise for anyone hesitant to begin a conservation practice: “Start on small acreage, there are things that don’t work, that is OK. Another practice will, we are always learning.”
A shared theme among this year’s recipients is leaving the land better than they found it and Duane Hieger is no exception. Duane was also previously recognized as Wayne County’s 2020 Conservation Farmer of the Year and received the Wayne County SWCD’s Goodyear Conservation award in 2021.
The River Friendly Farmer Award is a program of the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (IASWCD) and Indiana’s 92 Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
The 2025 River Friendly Farmer Award Ceremony is proudly sponsored by:
- Indiana Farm Bureau
- The Nature Conservancy
- Indiana Corn Marketing Council
- Indiana Soybean Alliance
- Indiana State Department of Agriculture
- Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (IASWCD)
- Indiana’s 92 Soil and Water Conservation Districts
Since 1999, the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts has been honoring farmers who go above and beyond in their commitment to good production management practices that protect our waterways.
Indiana’s Soil and Water Conservation Districts have the opportunity to nominate up to two outstanding River Friendly Farmers from their county who are dedicated to protecting Indiana’s water quality. This prestigious annual award honors farmers for their exceptional soil and water conservation practices. The RFF Program is a statewide initiative sponsored by key conservation and agricultural organizations.
The Wayne County SWCD is committed to helping recognize those farmers or landowners in Wayne County who consistently demonstrate excellent conservation management practices on their farm by nominating a prospective recipient yearly. It’s not just about the big gestures, but the everyday actions that contribute to cleaner, healthier waterways.
IASWCD Link:
River Friendly Farmer Award
Supporters of the River Friendly Farmer award: Indiana Farm Bureau The Nature Conservancy in Indiana Indiana Soybean Alliance Indiana Corn Marketing Council Indiana State Department of Agriculture Indiana Pork Farmers Indiana Beef Indiana Dairy
Wayne County Recipients:
- 2003 – Don Berger
- 2005- Mark Campbell
- 2008- David Drake
- 2009- Mike Craig
- 2009- Jon Alyea
- 2016- Kristen Ward
- 2017- Dwayne Crownover
- 2018- Phillip Bowman
- 2019- David Williamson
- 2020- Harold Routson
- 2021- James Howell
- 2022- Ben Alyea
- 2023- Mark Schlegel
- 2024- Doerstler Farms
- 2025- Duane Hieger