Barry Fisher’s contributions to conservation were honored last week with the Certified Crop Adviser Conservationist of the Year Award. The award was given in Washington, D.C., and recognized his more than 40 years of experience in crop advising.
“I was very surprised, of course, and humbled. To be selected from your peers is always an honor. Very humbling to be among such a group of top ag professionals.”
The Greencastle resident says he discovered a passion for all things conservation through 4-H and FFA. When he graduated from Western Kentucky University, Fisher began work with the Soil Conservation Service, which became the Natural Resources Conservation Service. He recently retired from the agency, and now, he’s President of Fisher Soil Health.
“Certified crop advisers, the niche that they fill is kind of a bridge between the most sound scientific information that you can find to the most practical application that can be applied to farms and to work directly one on one with farmers so that we can find the most logical and practical application of the most current science.”
He says that as a Certified Crop Adviser, he’s not only making recommendations about crop production, he’s also thinking about natural resources.
“As a certified crop adviser, there’s a code of ethics, and in that code of ethics, you kind of agree to make absolutely sure that you are not only an advisor for production, but also an advisor that protects and assures the sustainability of our natural resources.”
Fisher says he thanks those who have worked with him throughout his career.
“Just a special thank you to all of those folks that thought for some reason that I was worthy of such an honor. I’ve had tremendous support and been lucky, so lucky, to have one of those jobs that you truly love and enjoy each and every day that you’re going to work because you feel like you had a chance on that day to make a difference.”
He’s also been a guest on the HAT Soil Health Podcast, and you can hear those episodes below.
