Gerald and LuAnn Roise, owners of Roise Ranch in Powers Lake, N.D., have been selected as winners of Region VII, which includes North and South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas. They were nominated by the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association.

Located near Cottonwood Lake, Roise Ranch is a commercial cow-calf beef operation, also producing feed crops and commercial alfalfa hay. Gerald, LuAnn and family have the ability to run 260 head of English-based cattle, which utilize 3,800 acres of native and tame grass prairie ground. Hay and feed crop production occurs on the remaining 1,200 acres. The ranch itself has been in the family for 75 years, and is well on its way to being fourth-generation operated.

Gerald has worked extensively with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the North Dakota State University Extension Service to develop two-cell grazing systems that enhance grass production and protect the natural lay of the land.

Additional stewardship practices on the ranch include studying wind energy as a resource on surrounding land ridges, developing a pond that benefits wildlife and cattle, as well as taking measures to protect the endangered waterfowl species in the area. Roise Ranch has been featured on several tours, demonstrating to other producers the importance of both environmental stewardship and effectively communicating with federal agencies such as the FWS.
“Our main goal for this land and livestock operation,” Gerald says, “is for all entities to work together for both increased production and environmental benefit.”

Roise Ranch is a leader in the community and the state, working closely with several other organizations.