Alexander, N.D., beef producers Lynn and Patti Hovde run more than 170 cows and calves on the Hovde Ranch, which is situated on 6,200 acres nestled in the western North Dakota prairie rangeland. The Hovde family has collaborated with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the North Dakota State Water Commission to implement innovative practices to improve soil and water quality on their ranch. Lynn’s innovation and creativity have led him to develop one of the most efficient waste systems in the state. That innovation extends to a multi-purpose holding pond that not only is a water source for livestock but also irrigates the land and is a habitat for wildlife.
The Hovdes additional environmental enhancements to the land include no-till 
farming, shelterbelts and a nutrient management plan. In working with NRCS through an Environmental Quality Incentives Program, the Hovdes are creating shelterbelts that include the removal of dead tree rows from the 30-year-old shelterbelt to improve forage production and interim protection from the cold winter winds.