Leo LeGrande and honoree Kevin Norton
Dec 14, 2015
NEW ORLEANS, LA — USA Rice presented the sixth annual USA Rice Distinguished Conservation Achievement Award to Kevin Norton, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) state conservationist for Louisiana. Leo LaGrande, chairman of the USA Rice Farmers’ Conservation Committee, presented the award to Norton during the annual Rice Awards luncheon held here last Friday, during the 2015 USA Rice Outlook Conference.
“Since being named Louisiana’s state conservationist in 2007, Kevin has worked as a champion for the rice industry and encouraged the adoption of innovative practices to further conservation benefits beyond NRCS standards,” LeGrande said. “Just this year he submitted a number of new Conservation Stewardship Program practices that are designed specifically for use on ricelands.”
LeGrande added, “Among fellow state conservationists, Kevin has been recognized as a strong leader. Recently he spent 29 months detailed to the Senate Agriculture Committee to develop the Conservation Title of the 2014 Farm Bill and personally helped design the Regional Conservation Partnership Program.”
When accepting the award, Norton said, “As a public servant, there is no greater or more humbling honor than to be recognized by your customers. And this is really special to me because rice is special to me.”