A Cooper resident from Greene County was recently recognized for her environmental practices and other ways she contributes to healthier ways of farming.

Chris Henning received the Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award at the Iowa State Fair. She owns and manages farmland in Greene County and near the Raccoon River. More than half of her farm acres have been in conservation practices for over 15 years, including stream buffers, pollinator habitat, using prairie Conservation Reserve Program ground and acres of wetland, along with using cover crops since 2008 for her row crop acres. 

Henning also serves as an associate commissioner on the Greene County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Raccoon River Watershed Association chair, manages the Greene County Farmers Market and is a member of the Women, Food and Ag Network; Practical Farmers of Iowa and the Iowa Farmers Union. 

The Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award recognizes the exemplary, voluntary actions of farmers that improve or protect the environment and our state’s natural resources.