About KES
Conservation planning should help the farm make better decisions.
Kluthe Environmental Solutions was built around a simple idea: conservation planning should help farmers and landowners make better decisions, not add another layer of confusion.
KES works with farms to understand the operation, identify resource concerns, evaluate realistic conservation alternatives, and develop plans that fit the way the farm actually works.
Experience from inside the conservation system
Before founding KES, John Kluthe spent much of his career with USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, working directly with farmers on conservation planning and implementation.
That experience meant seeing where conservation plans worked well, where projects became unnecessarily complicated, and how decisions made during planning affected what could realistically be implemented later.
KES was created to bring that experience directly to farmers and landowners.
Agriculture and conservation belong in the same conversation
KES approaches conservation planning from an agricultural perspective. Conservation practices affect crops, livestock, labor, equipment, nutrient use, manure handling, grazing, and the economics of the farm.
Production decisions likewise affect soil, water, nutrients, erosion, habitat, and other natural resources.
The objective is to address real resource concerns in ways that remain practical for the agricultural operation.
The farm comes first
Every project begins with the farm, the landowner’s goals, and the problem that needs to be solved.
From there, KES evaluates conservation alternatives and the technical, funding, engineering, legal, or property requirements that may shape the plan. Those requirements matter, but they do not replace the landowner as the center of the planning process.
KES is intentionally small. John remains the primary client contact and planner, bringing in engineers and other specialists when a project requires expertise beyond his own.
Background & Credentials
· B.S. Agronomy · M.S. Forestry, with graduate research in agroforestry · Certified Conservation Planner · NRCS Technical Service Provider · Certified Crop Adviser
Understand the farm. Evaluate the choices. Develop a plan that works.
A Little More About the Person Behind KES
About John A little more about the person behind KES and the way John approaches the work.
John Kluthe has spent most of his career helping farmers work through conservation problems where several considerations have to come together — but you still have to farm.
His background includes agronomy, forestry, conservation planning, and years of field experience with USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Before that, he served in the U.S. Navy.
What has stayed consistent is the part of the work John enjoys most: getting out on a farm, understanding how the operation actually works, and helping turn a complicated set of concerns, requirements, and possibilities into something useful.
John founded Kluthe Environmental Solutions to work more directly with farmers and landowners and to bring that practical, farm-level perspective to conservation planning.
He tends to approach projects by asking a lot of questions, looking closely at how the pieces fit together, and trying not to make things more complicated than they need to be.
For John, good conservation planning is not just about meeting a technical requirement. It is about helping a farmer make a decision that still makes sense once the plan leaves the desk and reaches the field.
Veteran-Owned Business John’s service in the U.S. Navy remains an important part of his background and values.
My time in the United States Navy was one of the most formative experiences of my life. It instilled a deep sense of duty, personal accountability, and commitment to something greater than myself. The friendships forged through shared challenges and a common mission taught me the value of trust, teamwork, and perseverance — lessons that continue to guide both my personal life and my work.
Military service also taught me the importance of being prepared, communicating honestly, following through on commitments, and taking responsibility for the work entrusted to me. Those values continue to influence the way I approach my relationships with clients and the care I bring to each project.
I remain proud of my service and grateful for the opportunities, experiences, and perspective the Navy gave me. I also have a deep appreciation for the men and women who continue to serve, for veterans who have served before us, and for the families who support them.
May God watch over those who serve, those who have served, and the families who stand beside them. Godspeed.
Start a Conversation
Let’s Talk About Your Farm
Have a conservation project in mind or an NRCS contract already in place? Start with a little information about your farm and what you’re working on.
Email John
Tell me where the farm is, what you’re working toward, and whether an NRCS contract is already part of the project.
John@KlutheEnvironmental.com
John@KlutheEnvironmental.com