INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 7, 2023) — The Indiana State Department of Agriculture and Red Gold recently announced the winners of the 2023 Red Gold Stewardship award. Niese Ag LLC of Pandora, Ohio was selected as the first-place winner, and Myers Sod Farms LLC of Seymour, Ind. received second place.

This presentation, now in its 15th year, is a partnership between Red Gold and the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. The award is presented to Red Gold tomato growers who value improving soil health and water quality on their operations.

“Red Gold is proud of being in a partnership with ISDA and celebrating 15 years of a formal program for all of our tomato growers to participate within,” said Curt Utterback, Director of Agriculture at Red Gold. “The growers are committed in continuing their good efforts with soil and water conservation practices. They are appreciative to be part of an industry providing nutrient food for an ever-growing population, and they want to ensure that their future family generations will have the same opportunity of producing the freshest, best-tasting tomatoes. It is an honor to be able to formally recognize this year’s winners Niese Ag, LLC and Myers Sod Farms, LLC.“

Located in northeast Ohio, Derek Niese of Niese Ag LLC has put a strong emphasis on not only growing excellent crops, but also on the conservation of the land they farm. On their family farm, they grow tomatoes, corn, soybeans, wheat, blackberries and strawberries. They also grow organic corn, soybeans and cabbage. The Nieses have implemented a multitude of conservation practices to promote soil health and water quality on their farm, such as interseeding cover crops in corn and soybeans, grass filter strip and vegetative field borders.

When asked what was important to Niese Ag LLC, Derek Niese said, “trying to build and preserve the farmland for future generations.”

Second place winner, Myers Sod Farms LLC, is located Jackson County, Ind. In addition to tomatoes, they grow sod, corn, soybeans and wheat. On each of their farms, they have implemented a variety of stewardship and conservation practices, such as reduced tillage, regular soil testing and cover crops and living covers in 2022.

“Practicing conservation is important on our farm. We feel that if we take care of the land, it will take care of us,” said Adam Myer of Myers Sod Farm.

The Midwest is leading the pack in soil conservation efforts. Specifically in the Hoosier state, farmers utilize a variety of soil conservation practices and planted more than 1.6 million acres of cover crops in 2022.

“The Red Gold Stewardship Award recognizes those agriculturalists committed to soil conservation and its role in supporting agriculture, specifically here in the Midwest,” said ISDA Director Don Lamb. “Congratulations to the 2023 winners, it is well-deserved.”

As the top winner, Niese Ag LLC received a $1,000 scholarship and the option to ship an extra truckload of tomatoes per day during harvest season. Myers Sod Farms LLC was awarded a $500 scholarship and the opportunity to ship an extra half truckload of tomatoes per day during harvest.

Petco Love and Vanderburgh Humane Society Aim to Stop the Spread of
Deadly Preventable Diseases Through Vaccinations at Next Community Outreach Event

AUGUST 10, 2023

As part of Petco Love’s Initiative to Provide One Million More Free Pet Vaccines,
the Vanderburgh Humane Society will provide free vaccines on August 21^st in Evansville

Evansville, IN (August 1, 2023) – The Vanderburgh Humane Society (VHS) will once again be providing free vaccinations for pets in Vanderburgh County at their next monthly community outreach event on August 21, 2023. The free vaccines are made possible through Petco Love’s new national vaccination initiative, which is providing one million more free pet vaccines to existing animal welfare partners, including the VHS, for family pets in need. Families will also be able to receive free pet food while supplies last thanks to Chewy and Humane Society of the United States, and free microchips thanks to Best Friends. The event as a whole is made possible by the Best Friends Prince & Paws Shelter Collaborative, and will be the sixth such event hosted by the VHS and Evansville Animal Care & Control in 2023.

Parvovirus and distemper in dogs and panleukopenia in cats — the most prevalent deadly diseases affecting pets — are preventable with a simple vaccine. An estimated 30% of pet parents do not take their pet to a veterinarian annually for preventative care. To ensure the health and wellness of our beloved pets and to address this critical need, the VHS and Petco Love have partnered to make pet vaccines free and accessible.

Through this national effort, the VHS aims to vaccinate 500 pets overall. 240 pets received vaccines at the July event, with the remaining 260 expected to be vaccinated in August and October. The next event is Monday, August 21^st, 2023 at the Vanderburgh Humane Society from 12:00-4:00. It is first-come first-served with no pre-registration required, and is available to Vanderburgh County residents only. Vaccine records will be provided. Puppies & kittens must be at least 6 weeks of age. Adult dogs must be leashed, cats & kittens must be in individual carriers, and puppies who have not received their full series of vaccines yet should be carried ONLY, not placed on the ground, for their safety.

The free vaccines distributed at events through the Petco Love initiative will be the DAPPv Canine and HCP Feline vaccines. There will not be rabies vaccines available.

“Thanks to Petco Love, we can offer these important vaccine events at no cost to pet owners,” said Amanda Coburn, Director of Advancement. “We urge community members to take advantage of this no-cost resource to ensure the health and wellness of our community’s pets.”

“It is heartbreaking when any pet suffers or dies from a disease that could have been prevented. It is further exacerbated when unvaccinated pets come into busy shelter kennels, where these deadly diseases can spread quickly, resulting in multiple deaths, skyrocketing expenses, and hindering saving pet lives,” said Susanne Kogut, Petco Love President. “By creating greater awareness and making this crucial preventative care more accessible to pets not currently receiving these lifesaving vaccines, we can prevent the dangerous spread of disease.” 

For more information about vaccine distribution, contact the Vanderburgh Humane Society at www.vhslifesaver.org. Learn more about Petco Love’s lifesaving impact at PetcoLove.org. 

For information about this new collaboration between the VHS and Evansville Animal Care & Control thanks to Best Friends, visit https://www.vhslifesaver.org/news/team-up. 

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About the Vanderburgh Humane Society

The Vanderburgh Humane Society is leading our community to eliminate pet overpopulation through Spay/Neuter, Adoption, and Humane Education. The organization serves more than 11,000 Tri-State families each year through multiple programs and serves as a regional animal welfare leader, celebrating 65 years of operation in 2022. Alter, Adopt, Adore.

About Evansville Animal Care & Control

Evansville Animal Care & Control is Evansville’s only open admission shelter; meaning it doesn’t turn away any animal from Evansville or Vanderburgh County. The Evansville Animal Care & Control Shelter is dedicated to: promoting pet safety and responsible pet ownership, reduction of animal overpopulation, and enforcing section 6.05 of the Evansville Municipal Code.

About Petco Love

Petco Love is a life-changing nonprofit organization that makes communities and pet families closer, stronger, and healthier. Since our founding in 1999 as the Petco Foundation, we’ve empowered animal welfare organizations by investing $350 million in adoption and other lifesaving efforts. We’ve helped find loving homes for more than 6.7 million pets in partnership with Petco and organizations nationwide. 

Our love for pets drives us to lead with innovation, creating tools animal lovers need to reunite lost pets, and lead with passion, inspiring and mobilizing communities and our more than 4,000 animal welfare partners to drive lifesaving change alongside us. Is love calling you? Join us. Visit petcolove.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn to be part of the lifesaving work we lead every day.

About Best Friends Animal Society 

Best Friends Animal Society is a leading animal welfare organization working to end the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters by 2025. Founded in 1984, Best Friends is a pioneer in the no-kill movement and has helped reduce the number of animals killed in shelters from an estimated 17 million per year to about 347,000. Best Friends runs lifesaving programs all across the country, as well as the nation’s largest no-kill animal sanctuary. Working collaboratively with a network of more than 3,300 animal welfare and shelter partners, and community members nationwide, Best Friends is working to Save Them All®. For more information, visit bestfriends.org.