In Fairfield County, Ohio, one gentleman, David Betts, has led the way for CRP producers in the county. David Betts has been involved with CRP for as long as he can remember. In 1990, he sold a farm which was close to Columbus, Ohio, and purchased his farm in Fairfield County because he wanted to move back to a rural community. David's farm is 369 acres, with 181.6 acres in CRP.

At first, David began with a seeding practice, planting cool season grasses consisting of timothy and orchard grass. Then, when the option was available, he added Switch Grass, Indian Grass, and Big Bluestem. Additionally, David began placing filter strips around his ponds and creek banks. Next, he began implementing some tree planting practices by planting Walnut, Pin Oaks, and pine trees. David planted wildlife habitat food plots of sorghum and corn, and started planting shrubs such as Sergeants Crab Apple Trees and Silky Dogwood Trees that promote wildlife habitats. Currently, David has a wide variety of birds, pheasants, turkeys, and deer that inhabit the farm.

David helped co-found the Southeast Ohio Chapter of Pheasants Forever. He is also involved in USDA's Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, which is a voluntary program for people who want to develop or improve wildlife habitat on private lands. David is applying for the Farmland Preservation this year. He also sponsors a field day on his farm once a year for the public to provide the opportunity for others to learn about conservation practices.

Along with being an advocate for conservation, David wants to ensure that his grandchildren will benefit from CRP in the future. Because, David believes, CRP is not just a practice, it's a way of life; it is living, breathing, and believing that each person needs to give back to the land what we have taken from it.

Attractive in summer, diverse CRP cover provides wildlife with food and cover in winter months.

In addition to aesthetics, wildflowers and other forbs promote wildlife cover and food.

Shrubs on CRP acreage provide a wildlife food source.

Wildflowers adorn CRP native grass and forbs planting practice.