Thomas Herefords of Gold Creek has been selected as the recipient of the 2025 Montana Leopold Conservation Award.
The award honors ranchers, farmers, and forestland owners who go above and beyond in the management of soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat on working land.
Thomas Herefords, owned by Bruce and Tammy Thomas, and Richard and Shirley Thomas, will be presented with the award at the Montana Farm Bureau Annual Convention in November. They receive $10,000 for being selected.
Sand County Foundation will present Leopold Conservation Awards to landowners in 28 states this year. In Montana the award is presented annually with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, and the Montana Rangeland Resources Program.
Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes farmers and forestland owners 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.
Montana landowners were encouraged to apply, or be nominated, for the award last year. Applications were reviewed by an independent panel of Montana agriculture and conservation leaders. Among the many outstanding landowners nominated for the award were finalists: Franck and Kari Groeneweg’s Living Sky Grains of Three Forks, and Bart and Wendy Morris’ Oxbow Cattle Company of Missoula.
ABOUT THOMAS HEREFORDS
Bruce Thomas is as passionate about conservation as he is about Hereford beef cattle, and that’s saying a lot.
Bruce grew up showing and fitting world-class Hereford cattle on the ranch his parents Richard and Shirley Thomas established in 1957.
His career as a sawmill’s environmental manager proved to be influential. Interacting with governmental agencies and becoming well-versed with environmental regulations led him to see how doing things differently could make the ranch environmentally and economically resilient.
“I wanted to demonstrate to both the agricultural and environmental communities that a win-win solution could be achieved,” Bruce said.
Bruce and his wife Tammy prioritized conservation practices that could improve biodiversity and water quality, leading to healthier cattle, fish, and wildlife. Their vision was set into motion in the early 2000s by enrolling land into an Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) contract and collaborating with several public agencies and private non-profits.
Gold Creek is a Clark Fork River tributary that runs through the ranch. Like other ranchers, ancestors built their first corrals next to the creek to easily water their cattle. Overgrazed riparian areas led to soil compaction and degradation, and creek contamination. Loss of riparian vegetation led to warmer water, impacting native fish populations and reducing wildlife habitat.
With EQIP’s financial and technical assistance new cattle pens were designed to direct runoff into filtration areas on the ranch’s uplands. Grazing was ceased along the creek’s riparian area for five years to allow native vegetation to recover. As a result, the creek was cleaner thanks to a reduction in runoff of manure nitrates. The herd’s daily weight gain also improved from a new watering system.
Converting from flood irrigation to pivot irrigation also benefitted Gold Creek by diverting 50 percent less water. Other environmental benefits like enhanced in-stream flow, cooler water temperatures, and drought mitigation are being studied at Thomas Herefords by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation and other local and state organizations and agencies.
Located in western Montana’s Flint Creek Mountain Range, the ranch sits at 4,250 feet, with summer pastures up to 6,500 feet in elevation. Replacing woven and barbed wire with three-wire electric high-tension fencing is wildlife-friendly while proving a more secure fence for cattle.
Rotational grazing has improved the quality and quantity of grasses. Likewise, investment in rangeland water development has helped triple the carrying capacity of the ranch’s pastures.
The Thomases prioritize soil health principles by utilizing annual soil analysis, reducing chemical fertilizer use, and managing for drought by building organic matter to improve moisture retention.
While the Thomases are best known as a renowned international seedstock producer of red and white Hereford cattle, their holistic approach to ranching is just as noteworthy.
Bruce’s mother Shirley recalls a time when she would go to a hilltop overlooking the ranch and privately wonder how she was going to pay the next month’s bills. Bruce says embracing his conservation ethic is why those fears no longer exist.
As for the future, Bruce and Tammy are proud their children, Kurt, Amber, Heather, and their families, are involved in the ranch and own cattle. Along with the kids, the ranch’s succession plan includes a continuation of the conservation ideals that have brought them this far.
ACCOLADES
“Montana’s farmers and ranchers are dedicated stewards of our land and water resources,” said Governor Greg Gianforte. “Thomas Herefords has set the standard for stewarding their land and Gold Creek, showing the importance and impact of caring for working landscapes.”
“The Leopold Conservation Award provides an excellent opportunity to recognize the innovation of Montana’s farmers, ranchers and forested landowners,” said DNRC Director Amanda Kaster. “Two decades of conservation efforts have served well to improve the land and build environmental and economic resilience. Congratulations to Thomas Herefords on this deserved recognition.”
“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.”
The Montana Leopold Conservation Award is made possible through the generous support of American Farmland Trust, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Rangeland Resources Program, Sand County Foundation, AgWest Farm Credit, Montana Grazing Lands Coalition, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Montana Farm Bureau Federation, Ranchers Stewardship Alliance, Soil and Water Conservation Society, Western Landowners Alliance, Western Sustainability Exchange, and World Wildlife Fund.
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Sand County Foundation
