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Rancher says conservation efforts make most of rainfall
BLOOMING GROVE, Texas (AP)--As Gary Price trudges through lush, thigh-high grasses on his 2,160-acre ranch dotted with bluebonnets and Indian blankets, last year's devastating drought seems a distant memory. Much-needed rain the past few months isn't the only reason for the greener pastures. Price says he's been able to make the most of the rainfall through conservation efforts that include grazing his cattle on multiple fields, which keeps the grass longer and preserves its roots. "This is a great testimony to what the land can do," Price, who has owned the ranch for 30 years, said May 21. "We're in the grass business first." Drought losses to livestock and crops reached $4.1 billion in 2006, the worst year for Texas agriculture. At Price's 77 Ranch in Blooming Grove, a Navarro County town of 800 residents about 50 miles south of Dallas, some ponds dried up as the drought worsened and he considered selling off his herd last fall. But his pastures remained mostly green because of his conservation efforts as well as the native grasses, which are more drought-resistant than other grasses some ranchers planted on their land, Price said. Price's ranch has won the 2007 Leopold Conservation Award for Texas, given by the Sand County Foundation and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. It will be awarded May 23 in Austin as part of the Lone Star Land Steward Awards. Officials said they hope more ranchers will be inspired to undertake similar conservation projects, even if it means giving up short-term profits. For example, pasture rotation might require a rancher to sell some of his herd, officials said. "You have to be remarkably in tune with the land, and then you have to be courageous enough to make the choice," said David Allen, vice president of operations for the Sand County Foundation, which is based in Monona, Wis., and promotes conservation practices. One benefit is reduced fertilizer costs. Also, cattle able to graze year-round on nutrient-rich native grasses don't eat as much hay. The conservation efforts also benefit a nearby water district. The tall grasses and their deep roots keep the soil in place, preventing it from washing downstream into the reservoir. That reduces water-treatment costs, officials said. "What happens in the watershed drives the water quality," said Darrel Andrews, an assistant environmental director with the Tarrant Regional Water District in Fort Worth. B 8 5/28/07 5 Star OK Date: 5/24/07
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