ROBERTS, Wis. ― Following in the footsteps of his parents, Jeff Lueck, along with his wife, Jenny, and children, Caleb and Sophia, take pride in continuing to care for their land today and for future generations.
Lueck has been farming with his dad on their family farm since the mid-1990s. Previously, he also worked as a conservation planner for St. Croix County.
Lueck Farm consists of a beef herd and about 500 acres of cropland. The family grows traditional crops such as corn, hay and alfalfa, along with small grains, forages and specialty crops like pumpkins for their roadside stand.
Currently, Lueck works full-time on the farm and also assists in writing nutrient management plans,
with his certified crop advisor credentials.
“My parents did such a great job of taking care of this land where I grew up, and I want to do the
same thing for the next generation,” Lueck said. “We are truly stewards of the land, caring for it now,
but maintaining it for future generations to come.”
The Luecks preserve their farmland for the next generation by using best management practices,
such as vertical-tillage and reduced-tillage and following nutrient management plans.
Lueck has been involved with the Western Wisconsin Conservation Council for the past six years,
where he has learned about different sustainable farming practices through various field events
and workshops. This past year, he did some experimentation of his own, focusing on cover cropping
and planting green and was encouraged by the results.
“I grew rye as a cover crop over the winter and planted soybeans directly into it in the spring,” he
said. “I’m really happy with the results. That field had the lowest cost per acre because I never had
to spray, and the rye mat acted as a weed barrier.”
“I think having a well-rounded approach to conservation, whether it’s with cover crops or reduced
tillage, is extremely important,” Jeff said. “When you’re involved in a group like WWCC, you can
learn from one another and try out different things. Every farm, big or small, can find something to gain.”
Annual survey results
The group, composed of 51 farmers, took part in a 2025 Member Conservation Practice Survey. The results highlight various conservation practices implemented by the group members: planting 20,319 acres of cover crops, using no-till with cover crops on 8,337 acres and no-till on 15,667 acres.
The potential environmental benefits of these practices:
- Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 6,680 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, which is equal to greenhouse gas emissions produced by 1,590 cars driven in a year.
- Prevention of sediment loss from farm fields of 85,851 tons, equivalent to 8,585 dump trucks worth of soil.
- Reduction of phosphorus runoff by 101,615 pounds, potentially preventing 50.8 million pounds of algae growth in local water bodies.
Data was analyzed by Houston Engineering, Inc., and Farmers for Sustainable Food.
Farmers interested in joining can visit the WWCC website at westernwisconservation.org for more information.
By the numbers
Number of acres covered by conservation practices among Western Wisconsin Conservation Council members:
2018 ― 26,841
2019 ― 101,514
2020 ― 155,520
2021 ― 159,932
2022 ― 145,295
2023 ― 174,877
2024 ―173,917
2025 ― 201,713
Potential impact of conservation practices:
Phosphorus runoff reduction ― 101,615 pounds
Sediment erosion reduction ― 85,851 tons
Carbon dioxide emission reduction ― 6,680 metric tons
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About WWCC:
Western Wisconsin Conservation Council is a farmer-led non-profit group dedicated to promoting water conservation, environmentally sound agricultural practices and community engagement. The group is composed of grain, dairy and livestock member farms in the Kinnickinnic, Rush and Willow River watersheds in Barron, Dunn, Pierce, Polk and St. Croix counties. The group receives support from agricultural and environmental organizations, the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, and other partners. More information: westernwisconservation.org
