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Located in the glacial valleys of Stevens County, the Hagen Cattle and Hay Ranch has long been a cornerstone of agriculture and community. Specializing in registered Black Angus and polled Hereford cattle, the Hagen family has built a legacy around quality genetics for cross-breeding and responsible land management.
Their stewardship extends beyond the ranch fence lines. Working in partnership with the Stevens County Conservation District (SCCD), the Hagens have engaged with the Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP) and Floodplains by Design grant program to explore ways to enhance floodplain function, manage runoff, and protect water quality while maintaining a thriving livestock and hay operation.
The ranch also manages a manure storage facility built in 2008, supporting a nutrient recycling system that naturally fertilizes their hay fields, an approach that benefits soil health and reduces nutrient loss.
As both a producer and community leader, Pauline Hagen, who serves as a Board Supervisor for SCCD, plays a vital role in advancing local conservation efforts and connecting producers to voluntary programs that work for agriculture.
Through their practices and partnerships, the Hagen family continues to demonstrate that responsible land management and agricultural productivity can grow together in Stevens County.
In an arid landscape dominated by dryland grain production and rangeland, this pilot focuses on reducing soil loss, improving water availability, and supporting habitat health. By tracking conservation practices and applying watershed tools, the work helps partners better understand how voluntary conservation supports resilient working lands under changing conditions.
In a working lands landscape shaped by dryland farming, grazing, and irrigated agriculture, this pilot focuses on reducing erosion, keeping soil on the land, and improving stream and habitat conditions. By tracking conservation practices and applying watershed tools, the work helps partners better understand how voluntary conservation supports resilient farms and healthy watersheds.
Within a productive agricultural landscape shaped by dairy and crop production, this pilot focuses on improving water quality, managing nutrients, and reducing flood risks. Monitoring and conservation tracking help partners understand how voluntary conservation supports both farm viability and long-term watershed health.
