A Southeast Iowa couple has been named winners of the "Iowa Good Neighbor Award" for March.

The official announcement came today from Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Patty Judge.

"I am happy to announce that Dave and Nancy Eichelberger of Wayland have been chosen by the Wergin Iowa Good Neighbor Award Selection Committee as this month's Iowa Good Neighbor Award winner," Judge stated.

The Eichelberger family operates a farrow-to-finish swine operation in rural Henry County. Dave and Nancy have 20,000 sows that produce 420,000 market hogs each year.

In his nomination letter, neighbor Steve Heitshusen wrote that the Eichelberger family "is everything right about a family run operation." Heitshusen goes on to say, "They are very much environmentally right in every action they take. Dave and Nancy are all about being good stewards of the land they farm and own, and the friends and neighbors they have are proud they are from Wayland."

The Good Neighbor Award is a partnership between the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa Ag Radio Network. A monthly award plaque is given to an Iowa livestock producer who exhibits the qualities of a good neighbor and not only takes great care of the livestock, but also shows great care and concern for the environment and neighbors.

Neighbors who want to nominate a livestock producer for the award should send a nomination letter explaining why their livestock producer/neighbor should win the award and what makes him or her a "good neighbor" to: