Column: Candidate, Kent Beck

I am running for Davidson County Soil and Water Supervisor because of my role as a lifelong farmer and steward of our land, water, and natural resources. I own and operate a Century Farm, which means it has been in continuous family ownership for 100 years or more. Our farm has been a member of the Soil and Water District since 1939. Beckland Farm was recognized as the 2018 Conservation Farm Family of the Year due to our updated farm practices preserving the water quality of the Abbott's Creek watershed. I was also honored with the 2023 Davidson County Service to Agriculture Award due to my 50-plus years of service to agriculture and farm management standards, specifically focused on conservation and best practices. I have served on the state and local Cooperative Extension Advisory Councils for a number of years. I retired as a Lexington-area banker, where I was fortunate to meet and work with many citizens of our great county.

I believe Davidson County has enjoyed an abundance of natural resources. We are at a critical time for the protection and wise allocation of those resources. Our water and soil availability is finite. When these precious resources are mismanaged, there is no going back to their former pristine state. The landscape and recreation opportunities that soil and water provide are part of the natural appeal of living and working here. Agriculture has always been a major part of that scenic beauty, with the added benefit of contributing to food security. Development for housing and industry should and will occur. However, this should occur around existing cities and clearly defined growth corridors. I pledge to support the wise use of our natural resources and to ensure they are not a casualty that benefits the few at the expense of the many.

Kent Beck