Dan and Sherry Hanson of Peterson have been chosen as the 2009 Fillmore County Conservationists of the Year. In addition, Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (MASWCD) has named them as one of eight Area finalists in the 2009 Outstanding Conservationists Program. On December 8th, the Hanson’s were selected as the Minnesota Outstanding Conservationists at MASWCD’s 73rd annual convention in Duluth. Dan started farming in the late 1970s with his father. The Hanson’s raise corn, soybeans, and hay on 613 acres and have a 150 head cow-calf operation. They still have 183 acres of contour strips, including 80 acres of hay, that were laid out when Dan’s grandfather developed a conservation plan with the Soil Conservation Service in 1944. Over the years, 6,875 feed of terraces and 10 acres of grassed waterways have been installed. Nutrient and pest management, no-till, and planting thousands of trees on CRP for wildlife food and habitat also enhance conservation on their farm. The Hanson’s exemplify the land stewardship ethic that SWCD’s promote. The Fillmore SWCD is very proud of Dan and Sherry Hanson and wish to congratulate them on their being named 2009 Minnesota Outstanding Conservationists!