Niman Ranch, a leading natural meat brand known for its humanely raised products, has honored the Hundling family from Breda, Iowa, as the 2024 Sustainable Farm of the Year. This prestigious award recognizes the family’s dedication to land stewardship and their ongoing commitment to regenerative agriculture.
For Brice and Melanie Hundling, sustainability goes beyond a simple buzzword. Their multi-species, biodiverse farm exemplifies sustainable agriculture, utilizing practices such as cover cropping, rotational grazing, no-till farming, and edible windbreaks that enhance soil health and benefit both humans and wildlife. The Hundlings are continuously experimenting with new regenerative techniques, sharing their insights with fellow farmers through field days and case studies, helping to advance sustainable farming practices across the broader agricultural community.
The Hundling Family Farm has been a part of the Niman Ranch network since 2005, initially raising hogs and later adding Angus cattle in 2019. This partnership offers economic stability, allowing the family to sell their livestock at known prices. With this security, they continue to improve their land and expand their farm, which also includes goats, sheep, poultry (chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, peacocks, and guinea fowl), and crops like alfalfa, corn, soybeans, and oats. The farm also integrates cover crops such as rye, some of which are harvested for seed and straw while the remainder is grazed by their livestock. This rotational system helps keep the soil fertile, promotes animal health, ensures clean water, and sustains the entire ecosystem.
The farm is also part of a pilot program utilizing Nofence, a cutting-edge virtual fencing system for multi-species livestock operations. This technology enables the rotational grazing of goats, sheep, and cattle on cover crops, reducing labor and fencing costs.
In addition to their agricultural innovations, the Hundlings live as sustainably as possible. They feed their family of five children from the farm’s garden, dairy cows, eggs, fruit trees, and homegrown meats. They are instilling in their children the values of land stewardship and humane animal treatment, with hopes that one or more of them will continue the family’s farming legacy.
“We congratulate the Hundling family on this well-deserved honor,” said Chris Oliviero, General Manager of Niman Ranch. “Their diverse farming practices, integration of livestock, and blend of traditional and innovative methods are truly admirable. We are proud to have them as part of the Niman Ranch farmer network.”
Watch a video profile of the Hundling Family Farm to learn more about their sustainability practices. Photos of the farm are available for download with credit to Niman Ranch.
