Florida Ranch Receives Regional Environmental Stewardship Award

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Feb. 5, 2025) – Kempfer Cattle Company in Deer Park, Florida, was recognized today by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) as a regional winner of the 2024 Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP). Seven regional awards were presented to recipients during CattleCon 2025 in San Antonio. 

“Conservation practices of cattle farmers and ranchers across the country help to preserve natural resources and provide wildlife habitat,” said NCBA President Mark Eisele. “The stewardship efforts of these award recipients confirm our industry’s commitment to protecting the land and water for future generations.”

Established in 1991, ESAP celebrates outstanding land stewards in the cattle industry. Regional ESAP winners come from every corner of the country and undertake stewardship efforts unique to their environment, landscape and resources. The 2024 Environmental Stewardship Award Program regional winners are:

• Region I: Angus Glen Farms, LLC, Watkins Glen, New York 
•  Region II: Kempfer Cattle Company, Deer Park, Florida 
•  Region III: Little Timber Farms, Blackduck, Minnesota 
•  Region IV: Blue Ranch, Moore County, Texas 
•  Region V: LeValley Ranch, Hotchkiss, Colorado 
•  Region VI: Cottonwood Ranch, Wells, Nevada 
•  Region VII: Downey Ranch, Wamego, Kansas

“The Kempfer family's commitment to sustainable ranching practices, biodiversity conservation, and environmental stewardship exemplifies the spirit of this award,” said J. Stacy Strickland, Osceola County extension director. “Their stewardship goals focus on shaping public policy, driving soil fertility research, enhancing cattle genetics for efficiency and implementing advanced water management systems.”

Kempfer Cattle Company is a 25,000-acre diversified ranch in central Florida. Since 1898, six generations of the family have implemented stewardship practices to conserve land and water resources. The purebred Brahman and commercial cattle operation also includes a variety of ventures including a sod company and sawmill. The Kempfer family collects and stores rainwater in stock tanks, which reduces the strain on natural water bodies, particularly during drought conditions. They also prevent overgrazing and soil erosion around rivers and streams, preserving ecological balance and protecting riparian areas. By actively managing and controlling the spread of invasive plants, the ranch preserves biodiversity, protects sensitive ecosystems, and maintains the integrity of native plant communities. The ranch’s location to a large metropolitan area also provides an opportunity to share their stewardship practices with visitors from across the country and around the world.

“It is incredibly important to us to be good stewards, and when we see healthy pastures and healthy land, we feel cattle are the biggest reason for that,” said Henry Kempfer with Kempfer Cattle Company. “It makes us feel good that we are creating an environment not just for the wildlife but also better pastures for the cattle at the same time.”

ESAP is generously sponsored by companies and federal agencies who share the cattle industry’s commitment to caring for the environment and protecting natural resources. Sponsors including U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, Corteva Agriscience and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service partner with NCBA to promote environmental stewardship throughout the beef supply chain. 

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