Robbie Faust owner of Bellflower Farms located in Dawson, Georgia has been named the 2021 Conservationist of the Year by the Georgia Association of Conservation Districts (GACD) for his outstanding contributions to natural resource conservation.
Robbie Faust
Pictured left to right: Tillman Faust, Robbie Faust, Brooks Faust, Jessi Faust, J.W. Faust
Faust is a third-generation farmer from Terrell County in Southwest Georgia. He and his family farm 1,800 acres of cotton, corn, peanuts, wheat and soybeans. Their operation includes an impressive conservation portfolio including measures to improve water quality and soil health, reduce the amount of water, fertilizer and other inputs used and maintain healthy wildlife and aquatic habitats on their property.
Soil health is a primary factor for the Faust’s in making their planting and management decisions. All the cotton and corn grown on their farm is strip-tilled resulting in reduced soil disturbance and erosion potential. Utilizing cereal rye as a cover crop also helps provide soil stability and capture some nutrients from the previous year’s cash crop. Additionally, soybeans and wheat are both planted with a no-till drill to disturb the least amount of soil or residue possible. Beginning in the fall of 2020, Robbie entered into a partnership with the Lower Chattahoochee Soil and Water Conservation District, Golden Triangle Resource Conservation and Development Council, UGA Extension and USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) to participate in a multi-year cover crop outreach and education project. The Faust Family agreed to plant one of their irrigated fields into multiple cover crop research and demonstration plots to compare fertility, water use, yield and other factors across a variety of treatments. Beyond data collection on cover crop usage, the 65-acre site has been used to host education and outreach field days during 2021 and it’s anticipated the same location will be used for the remainder of the three-year project.
Beyond activities related to soil health, Robbie has implemented a host of other conservation measures across his operation. All the irrigation systems in use on their farm employ highly efficient low pressure, drop nozzle technology with the majority incorporating end-gun shut-off systems to prevent watering of non-cropped areas. The Fausts were also early advocates of utilizing Georgia’s agricultural metering program to gather highly accurate information on their water use and inform their water management decisions. Through partnerships and capitalizing on programs offered through NRCS, they have also established terraces and grassed waterways across their property, converted inefficient diesel pumping systems over to electricity, adopted variable rate fertilizer application technology and established a number of habitat plots that support local wildlife.
Robbie and his family embody the “commitment to conservation” this award was designed to acknowledge. By embracing best management practices and other technologies, his operation is a prime example that a strong conservation ethic can still translate to consistently good yields and productivity. More important, however, is Robbie’s position in the community as an early-adopter that is willing to share lessons- learned and participate in projects that promote conservation across the entire region. “The Faust Family displays the characteristics of ‘locally-led’ conservation that are critical to the past and future success of Conservation Districts throughout Georgia and nationwide,” noted Mark Masters, President of GACD. “We congratulate them on this honor and wish them luck as they compete to represent Georgia for the national Friend of Conservation award to be announced next month.”
The mission of GACD is to advocate for the conservation of Georgia’s natural resources by providing organization, leadership and a unified strategic direction to the Conservation Districts of the state. For more information on GACD or to explore opportunities on how you can support our efforts, please visit us online at www.gacd.us or on Facebook @GACDConserve.