MUD BUTTE, S.D. – Stomprud Angus Ranch of Mud Butte has been selected as the recipient of the 2025 South Dakota Leopold Conservation Award®.
The $10,000 award honors ranchers, farmers, and forestland owners who go above and beyond in their management of soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat on working land.
Sand County Foundation and national sponsor American Farmland Trust present Leopold Conservation Awards to private landowners in 28 states. In South Dakota, the award is presented with the South Dakota Grassland Coalition.
Larry and Eileen Stomprud own and operate Stomprud Angus Ranch in western South Dakota with their son Jay, and his wife Jennifer, and their grandchildren: Elijah, Kaira, and Joshua. They will be formally presented with the South Dakota Leopold Conservation Award later this year.
The award, given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, recognizes landowners who inspire others with their dedication to environmental improvement. In his influential 1949 book, “A Sand County Almanac,” Leopold advocated for “a land ethic,” an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage.
South Dakota Governor spoke with DRG News, saying “Farmers and ranchers are the very best conservationists. They have a vested interest in passing their land down to their kids and their grandkids,” said South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden. “The Stompruds embody this mentality with their land ethic, as they operate their land with both their kids and their grandkids. Just as my family has ranched land West River for four generations, so have they been good stewards of the land. South Dakota is better off for ag producers like the Stompruds, and I thank Larry for his service in our military, as well.”
Whether its ranch management or military strategy, Larry Stomprud has always seen the importance in planning.
He draws inspiration from former U.S. President and military commander, Dwight D. Eisenhower, who famously said, “In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.”
Larry has taken those words to heart throughout a ranching career where he’s thoughtfully considered the needs of cattle and the landscape under his stewardship.
Although Larry has always had a deep affinity for ranching and conservation, upon graduating from South Dakota State University in 1971, returning to his family’s ranch wasn’t financially feasible. Instead, he chose to hone his leadership skills by serving in the South Dakota Army National Guard.
He also pursued a Master’s degree in big game management at Montana State University where he was introduced to planned grazing, an approach advocated by Allan Savory for regenerating land and improving soil health. This exposure deeply influenced Larry’s future conservation efforts.
Upon retiring from the military in 1995, Larry remained driven by his land ethic. He and his wife Eileen seized the opportunity to become the next generation of stewards at Stomprud Angus Ranch. With his military pension, they bought his uncle’s interest in the ranch and invested in neighboring properties. Providing contiguous habitat and pasture was a strategy that would benefit wildlife and the ranch’s financial resilience.
Today, Larry and Eileen manage Stomprud Angus Ranch’s 6,600 acres with their son Jay, his wife Jennifer, and their three grandchildren: Elijah, Kaira, and Joshua. Aside from 700 acres of hay production, they rotationally graze registered seedstock Angus and commercial cows on the ranch’s rangeland.
With financial and technical assistance from state and federal agencies, the Stompruds transformed 1,000-acre pastures into more than 30 smaller pastures ranging from 100 to 400 acres in size. Investments were made in four miles of cross-fencing, 10 miles of water pipelines, and 24 stock tanks.
To conserve grassland in a semi-arid region, their herd’s size fluctuates between 220 and 300 heifers and cow-calf pairs depending on range conditions. Most pastures are not grazed for more than 20 days during the growing season. This supports range plant health by facilitating leaf regrowth and maintaining healthy root reserves for the next growing season.
In an ecosystem that averages just 17 inches of rain annually, Stomprud Angus Ranch’s drought management strategy works to prevent over-grazing and sustain ecological balance.
In 2005, Larry collaborated with a neighboring rancher to drill a deep well. “That investment has been the lifeblood of our operation,” Larry notes. “Without it, there probably wouldn’t be a cow on this place.”
Also providing essential water sources for cattle and wildlife are the 18 dams and dugouts that were established by Larry’s father Calvin and grandfather Ollie.
Ample sightings of other wildlife like whitetail deer, bald eagles, sharp-tailed grouse, partridges, and nesting grassland birds underscore the richness of the ranch’s biodiversity. Smooth-wire cross fences powered by solar batteries ensure safe passage of pronghorn antelope and mule deer that migrate through pastures.
Larry and Jay have planted 5,000 trees to create cattle shelterbelts that provide shelter for livestock and wildlife from winter winds in western South Dakota.
On and off the ranch, the Stompruds have worked with agriculture and conservation organizations, ranging from the Meade County Farm Bureau to the World Wildlife Fund.
Throughout its 114-year history, resilience is a cornerstone of the Stomprud Angus Ranch. Each generation faced and overcame challenges with military precision.
ACCOLADES
“It’s great to be able to recognize farmers and ranchers like the Stomprud family, who practice conservation and soil health principles that help to improve and maintain the sustainability of their operations,” said Mike McKernan, South Dakota Grassland Coalition Chairman. “Their hard work and dedication to conservation will secure a legacy for future generation.”
“These award recipients are examples of how Aldo Leopold’s land ethic is alive and well today,” said Kevin McAleese, Sand County Foundation President and CEO. “Their dedication to conservation is both an inspiration to their peers as well as a reminder to all how important thoughtful agriculture is to clean water, healthy soil, and wildlife habitat.”
“As the national sponsor for Sand County Foundation’s Leopold Conservation Award, American Farmland Trust celebrates the hard work and dedication of the award recipients,” said John Piotti, AFT President and CEO. “At AFT we believe that exemplary conservation involves the land itself, the practices employed on the land, and the people who steward it. This award recognizes the integral role of all three.”
South Dakota landowners were encouraged to apply, or be nominated, for the award last year. Nominations were reviewed by an independent panel of South Dakota agriculture and conservation leaders. The first South Dakota Leopold Conservation Award was presented in 2010. The 2024 award recipient was Blioux River Ranch of Castlewood.
The Leopold Conservation Award Program in South Dakota made possible thanks to the generous support of American Farmland Trust, South Dakota Grassland Coalition, Sand County Foundation, South Dakota Farmers Union, South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, South Dakota Farm Bureau Federation, South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks; South Dakota State University College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences; USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Audubon Great Plains, Bad River Ranches, Belle Fourche River Watershed Partnership, Blair Brothers Angus Ranch, Blue Bell Ranch, Cammack Ranch, Daybreak Ranch, Ducks Unlimited, First Dakota National Bank, Jim and Karen Kopriva, Millborn Seeds, North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, Professional Alliance, South Dakota Agricultural Land Trust, South Dakota Association of Conservation Districts, South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association, Pheasants Forever, South Dakota Soil Health Coalition, South Dakota Soybean Association, The Nature Conservancy, Todd Mortenson family, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-Partners for Fish and Wildlife, and Wagner Land & Livestock.
For more information on the award, visit www.leopoldconservationaward.org.
