Saindon Farms Honored with Key Bankers’ Soil Conservation Award

Matt Saindon of Saindon Farms, LLC has been selected as the 2025 Key Bankers Soil Conservation Award recipient, recognizing his family’s long-standing commitment to responsible land stewardship and sustainable agricultural practices in Rooks County.

A fourth-generation farmer, Saindon carries on a legacy of agriculture that spans more than a century in the county. In 1997, he and his father, Melvin Saindon, formed Saindon Farms, LLC, continuing the family operation shortly after the passing of Matt’s grandfather. Matt and his wife, Lona, were married in 2000, and together they are raising three daughters—Lorene, Marie, and Lynden— while continuing the tradition of farming and conservation.

From its early beginnings with approximately 100 cows and 1,200 acres of farmland, Saindon Farms has grown into a large and diversified operation. Today, the farm manages about 7,500 acres of cropland and 4,000 acres of pastureland, producing a variety of crops including oats, wheat, corn, grain sorghum, and soybeans.

Conservation has been a cornerstone of the Saindon family’s operation for nearly three decades. The farm began implementing no-till practices in 1998, helping to reduce soil erosion, conserve moisture, and improve soil health. Through participation in conservation programs such as CSP and EQIP, the Saindons have installed windbreaks, constructed a waste storage facility to support responsible feedlot expansion, built pasture fencing along creeks to protect streambanks, and developed controlled creek crossings to minimize environmental impact. Ongoing improvements to cropland, including terracing and waterways, continue to strengthen the farm’s resilience and productivity.

Saindon Farms also operates a mixed grain and livestock system. The cattle operation is a cowcalf- to-finish enterprise, with the farm calving approximately 380 cows and 100 first-calf heifers each spring. The operation maintains around 20 bulls, raised from registered Black Angus cattle, and utilizes artificial insemination to enhance herd genetics, breed replacement heifers, and roughly 200 cows annually.

For Saindon, the rewards of farming extend beyond production. “I’ve always enjoyed being outside and helping my grandpa when I was growing up,” he said. “It’s especially rewarding to see the land improving through the conservation practices we’ve used for nearly 30 years.”

The Bankers Soil Conservation Award honors producers who demonstrate outstanding leadership in conservation and stewardship of soil and water resources. Saindon will be formally recognized at the Rooks County Conservation District Annual Meeting this month, where his dedication to sustainable agriculture and community will be celebrated.

Saindon credits the operation's success to a strong team effort that includes his father, Melvin; his wife, Lona; their daughters; and employees Jared Griffin and Mike Branch.

Through innovation, commitment, and a deep respect for the land, Matt Saindon and Saindon Farms exemplify the values of conservation and the enduring spirit of agriculture in Rooks County.