(Wanatah, IN) - A local grower of tomatoes is being recognized for his water and land conservation efforts on the farm.  Rice Farms was runner up for the Stewardship Award sponsored by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture and Red Gold, Inc. More than 260 acres of tomatoes are produced at the farm outside Wanatah.

The tomatoes are sold to Red Gold, a major brand of ketchup and other tomato-based products.

Scott Rice, a Red Gold supplier for over 30 years, said he and his father started raising tomatoes in the late 1980’.s

Rice says one of the things they’ve been doing is planting cover crops between growing seasons to prevent soil erosion and improve the quality of the soil from the organic matter the cover crops leave behind.  Rice Farms also raises over 2,000 acres of corn and soybeans along with 30 acres of wheat.