Rob Myers, director of the Center for Regenerative Agriculture and an extension professor in Plant Science and Technology, received the Soil and Water Conservation Society’s (SWCS) Hugh Hammond Bennett Award on July 28 during the 81st SWCS International Annual Conference Award Luncheon in St. Louis.
The Hugh Hammond Bennett Award is the SWCS’s most prestigious award, given to those who have made tremendous contributions to soil, water and natural resources conservation. The SWCS recognized Myers for his outstanding leadership, long-standing service and influential work advancing the use of cover crops.
Throughout his career, Myers has been a national leader in expanding the adoption of cover crops and soil health practices, has played a vital role in shaping cover crop and soil health policy and has authored or coauthored 154 publications related to conservation.
“Myers’ excellent leadership, scholarship and service embody the values of the Hugh Hammond Bennett Award, and SWCS is proud to honor him as the 2026 recipient,” the organization said.
In his leadership role with the Center for Regenerative Agriculture, Myers administers approximately $50 million in grant projects focused on helping farmers with cover crops, no-till, regenerative grazing, virtual fencing and other conservation approaches. Myers was previously honored by SWCS with the Chair’s Leadership Award in 2014 and 2018 and the Fellow Award in 2024.