Ruth Rabinowitz of Madison County Receives 2025 Farmland Owner Legacy Award
Award recognizes role non-operator farmland owners play in the success of sustainable agriculture
Contact: Elizabeth Wilhelm | Senior Media Relations Coordinator | (515) 232-5661 | elizabeth.wilhelm@practicalfarmers.org
AMES, Iowa (Nov. 4, 2025) — Practical Farmers of Iowa has named Ruth Rabinowitz of Madison County as the recipient of the 2025 Farmland Owner Legacy Award for her commitment to improving conservation on farmland in Iowa and South Dakota. The award was presented on Thursday, Oct. 23, during a celebration in Winterset.
Ruth manages 800 acres of family farmland across Iowa and South Dakota, where she works to enhance soil health and wildlife habitat. Since taking on the farms’ management in 2012, she has added a range of conservation practices.
Today, her farms include corn, soybeans and alfalfa, and her conservation practices include cover crops, no-till, expanded buffers and limited chemical use. She has also established ponds, orchards and pollinator habitats; planted 300 native trees and shrubs; restored oxbows; seeded prairie; and created wildlife corridors.
“It’s in my blood to grow things, and I felt for the land right away,” says Ruth. “It needed me to take care of it because everyone else was extracting from it.”
Non-operating farmland owners play a critical role in the future of sustainable farming. According to The Nature Conservancy, 62% of farmland in the Midwest is owned by non-operating landowners.
Because these landowners can guide land management and encourage sustainable farming practices, they have tremendous potential to enhance stewardship across the Midwest.
“With intention, landowners can strengthen the environment, their communities and local economies. Ruth has taken that responsibility to heart – managing the land herself and writing her own conservation-focused leases,” says Sally Worley, PFI’s executive director. “She’s a shining example of the impact a landowner can have and is a very deserving recipient of PFI’s Farmland Owner Legacy Award.”
The Farmland Owner Legacy Award is presented annually to landowners who use their land to:
- Help the next generation get started
- Advance land stewardship and environmental quality
- Promote long-term sustainability of farm businesses
- Strengthen rural communities
For Ruth, caring for the land goes beyond farming. “It’s meditation, it’s art and it’s reparation for what’s been going on for decades.”
Listen to Ruth’s acceptance speech here, and read more about her commitment to conservation in the Practical Farmer article, “The Wonder of Windbreaks.”
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About Practical Farmers: Practical Farmers of Iowa is a nonprofit with more than 8,000 members that equips farmers to build resilient farms and communities. We create learning opportunities via farmer-led events, on-farm research and educational content through our robust network of farmers. We also provide funding and technical assistance to help farmers adopt regenerative farming practices and grow farm businesses. Our vision is an Iowa with healthy soil, healthy food, clean air, clean water, resilient farms and vibrant communities. To learn more, visit http://practicalfarmers.org.