That quote by Steve Groff, Holtwood, PA, is a perfect summary of the dozens of compliments about Dave Brandt, who died May 21. He was 76.
In Ohio, David Brandt was known as an active member of the Ohio No-till Council for more than 30 years, serving as President for 14 of those years. Nationally, he earned the title “Godfather of Soil Health” and was recognized and adored for his passion for no-till and cover crops. He was an educator. He helped anyone who asked for assistance or advice; he wanted everyone to succeed.
Beyond agriculture, Dave became famous for a meme with his photo (from 2012) with the words, “It ain’t much but it’s honest work.” Many of the articles about his passing referred to that meme in the headline.
Comments of love and respect (and prayers) came from across North America, plus Europe and Australia. Here are a few: “Such a great man and such a loss.” “Kind and generous soul who helped and guided so many farmers.” “Very sad for losing a friend, and it’s a big loss for conservation agriculture all around the world. He was here in France in 2015 invited by our ag minister.” “May his legacy of promoting soil health live on.” “Condolences from Nebraska, such a special, one-of-a-kind person.” “All those lives he touched will continue his legacy.”
Interestingly, Dave is a co-author of a scientific article about the May 1st Dust Storm tragedy on I-55 in Illinois that killed 8 people, injured 30 and involved more than 75 vehicles. The lead author, Don Reicosky, a soil scientist with USDA-ARS (retired) in Morris, MN, wanted to have a farmer viewpoint included. On May 8, Dave spent more than an hour on the phone with Don, going through the first draft of the article. Dave emphasized the need for education. Rather than criticizing the farmers who used fall and spring tillage to provide bare (unprotected) soil for planting, Dave insisted on the need for education about continuous no-till and cover crops to prevent erosion from wind.
One version of that article appeared online in Farm Journal’s AgWeb.com on May 30.
Another version will likely be published in the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, September issue. Distinguished professors, Rattan Lal of OSU, and David Montgomery, U. of Washington, were added as co-authors for that version of the article. One goal of that article is to influence the next Farm Bill to add incentives for farmers to use continuous no-till and cover crops. The suggested “incentive” is $50/acre/yr.
