Guardians of the Range: The McKinney Family Showcase their Elite Conservation Ethic
Rancher Cherisse McKinney beamed as she walked around her 3,600-acre ranch in Madera County in May 2024 as she was scouting out the location for a new livestock shade structure. She is excited to get this built so her 250-head of cattle have a comfortable place for some respite from the heat.
“We are really excited to continue our work with NRCS,” said McKinney. “My husband and I had a great experience working with NRCS when we operated an almond orchard, and it was a no brainer to seek out their assistance when we bought this ranch from my husband’s late grandfather.”
A lot has changed since McKinney (and her husband Scott) sold their orchard to purchase the land from their family after the grandfather’s passing. A lot of work needed to be done to bring the land up to a healthy and sustainable state, including the removal of a large amount of old equipment and debris.
That obstruction removal practice helped the ranchers open up the space, so the cattle had easier movement and cleaner pasture to graze on. And that practice was just the beginning over the past five years.
The McKinney’s have worked with the NRCS Madera Service Center, and NRCS Rangeland Specialist Dennis Dudley in particular, on solar pumps for livestock watering, water tanks, wells, troughs, livestock forage improvement, and so much more. Honestly, the list is endless.
While many traditional NRCS customers come into our offices looking for a specific practice, the McKinney’s wanted their ranch to be a model landscape for all to enjoy — especially the cattle. And those actions have really put them in elite company amongst premier conservationists.
“The McKinney’s always put quality land management first,” said Dennis Dudley, NRCS California rangeland specialist. “I am glad to help them connect to program assistance in the process. I am always impressed by their conservation ethic.”
It is not just the conservation practices that have put the McKinney’s on the map, but it is their dedication to keeping their portion of Madera in agricultural production for generations to come. They did this by taking the rare step of entering into an Agricultural Land Easement through NRCS. It protects the agricultural rights of those 3,600 acres for perpetuity, and it improves the chances the surrounding properties remain agricultural as well.
“If it was not for this easement and NRCS’ investment into our operation, we would be out of business now,” said McKinney. “There is no doubt about it. NRCS helps us remain in the business of ranching and we greatly appreciate their partnership.”
After McKinney finished that walk to the future site of the shade structure, she pointed out in the distance the convergence of two winter streams that will be further protected with the addition of new fencing, tree and shrub establishment, and the additional conservation practices that will make that possible.
Always looking 20 feet ahead, McKinney (and her husband) are committed to leaving this pristine ranch in the hands of their own children to preserve the legacy of their elite conservation ethic.
