Date:
7/28/2004 12:00:00 AM
Title:
Florida Ranch is ESAP Region II Honoree
Williamson Cattle Company
Wins Top Environmental Award
Washington, D.C. (June 22, 2004) Frank “Sonny” W. Williamson Jr. and Frank “Wes” Williamson III, owners of the Williamson Cattle Company in Okeechobee, FL, and Faunsdale AL, have been selected as regional winners of the 2004 Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP). The family is one of seven regional winners nationwide. The prestigious annual award program recognizes cattle producers across the nation whose stewardship practices are inventive, cost-effective and contribute to environmental conservation.
In its 14th year, the program is sponsored by Dow AgroSciences L.L.C and the Natural Resources Conservation Service of USDA and is administered by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). The Williamsons are the sole representatives of NCBA’s Region II, which consists of eight southeastern states, including Florida and Alabama. They were nominated by the Florida Cattleman’s Association.
“This award honors the overlooked environmentalists.” explains Megan Tipton, coordinator of the program, “People who spend their lives working the land embody the true nature of conservation and for this Florida family, Earth Day is every day. Ranching is a lifetime spent outdoors, working with natural resources. The Williamson family demonstrates how today’s landowners utilize creative technologies and innovations to run a profitable, environmentally-friendly business.”
With two locations, one near Okeechobee, FL and the other near Faunsdale AL, the Williamson Cattle Company is a diversified operation uniquely designed to weather market fluctuations. With nearly 9,000 acres, the ranch is home to approximately 2,300 commercial Brangus cows. The Williamson’s utilize the Alabama operation to breed replacement heifers for the Florida operation. In addition to their cow-calf business, the Williamson’s grow citrus (both oranges and grapefruit). Since 1983 they have been developing a catfish farming operation in Alabama, now consisting of over 1,200 acres of water.
“Williamson’s natural resource stewardship practices are a major contributor to enhancing environmental protection on his south Florida lands,” says Victoria Tschinkel, Florida State Director of The Nature Conservancy. “This third-generation rancher’s commitment to ensuring and enhancing the future of his lands for the benefit of the environment and the long-term financial stability of his company serves as a model for other ranchers. By establishing a variety of model conservation and agricultural programs on his lands, he illustrates how to balance economics with practical land management.”
Since the Williamson Ranch sits in the basin that feeds the everglades, water conservation practices have been of particular importance to the operation. By restoring wetlands on the property, water is returned to a more natural cleansing cycle while enhancing wildlife habitat and controlling erosion at the same time. The white-tail deer population is controlled with specific hunting quotas, and overall diversity is fostered with food plots and other wildlife enhancing techniques.
“As we continue to move forward, we have no choice but to protect our great natural resources an inheritance from our forefathers, a gift for our children,” Sonny Williamson once said.
This philosophy has made the Williamson Cattle Company a leader in the community and across the Southeast, combining progressive cattle production with strong environmental practices, while maintaining a seamless union between profitability and production. The Williamsons have volunteered to work with other environmentally friendly organizations to establish the best practices possible, including the Nature Conservancy, USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, South Florida Water Management District, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, and more.
The Williamson Cattle Company will be formally recognized as a regional ESAP winner at the 2004 Cattle Industry Summer Conference in Denver, Colorado on August 11th. One of the seven regional winners will be selected as the national winner, announced in January 2005. For additional information on this family or other regional winners, contact NCBA’s D.C. office at 202-347-0228.