Region I
Moneta, VA
VIRGINIA FARM HONORED FOR OUTSTANDING ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
Located 25 miles southeast of Roanoke, Virginia, Keith Tuck is dedicated to sustainable and environmentally conscious management on his cattle operation. Tuck Farms is adjacent to Smith Mountain Lake, which provides potable water for local communities and is a tourist destination for water recreation. Utilizing NRCS and Soil and Water Conservation District best management practices, Tuck installed fencing and water infrastructure to implement rotational grazing. His managed grazing efforts have improved animal condition, soil health and wildlife habitat. Fencing cattle out of ponds and streams has prevented erosion and repaired banks with vegetative cover, resulting in clear water. Tuck also developed mutually beneficial partnerships with agriculture agencies, non-profits, and service-oriented organizations, which has been instrumental in achieving his environmental and economic goals. The farm plays a positive role in the community and serves as a picturesque landscape for passing tourists.
“Rotational grazing is simple. The key to it is management,” said Keith Tuck with Tuck Farms. “You’ve got to look at yourself not as a cattle producer but a forage producer who markets through cattle. You’re a grass farmer.”
