08/20/2026
Our Ag Solutions Network Team congratulates Monte Bottens on receiving the Woody Woodruff Conservation Award from the Illinois Stewardship Alliance.
Named in memory of Robert “Woody” Woodruff, the award carries forward Woody’s belief that healthy soil is a precious legacy and that meaningful conservation extends well beyond the boundaries of a single farm.
Those values strongly reflect the work Monte has pursued throughout his career: challenging conventional thinking, learning through experience, sharing what works—and what doesn’t—and helping farmers find practical ways to build healthier soils and more resilient, profitable farming systems.
For Monte, regenerative agriculture has never been about checking a box or following a single practice. It’s about understanding the entire system—soil, water, plants, people, and communities—and leaving that system better for the next generation.
Congratulations, Monte, on this well-deserved recognition and for continuing to advance grower success from the soil up.
