By Andi Anderson
This week’s story, by Kris Vance, highlights Tim Wilson and his family from Indiana, where they farm more than 2,200 acres of corn and soybeans across Fountain and Montgomery counties.
Over the past five years, the Wilsons have committed 23 acres of their farm to wildlife and pollinator habitat. Their efforts have increased biodiversity while also helping improve their overall return on investment.
Like many farmers, the Wilsons discovered that farming every acre is not always the best option. Field edges shaded by woods, damaged by wildlife, or limited by poor soil were reducing their profit. These areas produced lower yields and raised input costs.
As Tim explained, “The yield loss is so dramatic around these edges. We needed to figure out a way to make those fields work for us.”
The family found a solution through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), a voluntary USDA Farm Service Agency program that helps producers earn income by restoring marginal cropland.
CRP supports cleaner water, healthier soils, and stronger wildlife habitat. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides technical assistance, while local partners help with planning and management.
In 2022, the Wilsons enrolled a small area into prairie strips and pollinator habitat. The benefits were immediate, leading them to enroll an additional 17.5 acres in 2025.
They planted 30‑ to 40‑foot strips of native grasses and flowers along field edges and woods. Tim shared the impact, saying, “After we put the fields in CRP, our APH went up on our farms, and that’s going to be beneficial to our return on investment.”
The program improved their crop yields by removing the weakest acres from production. Land that once produced 180 bushels of corn now produces 200 to 210. With better yields, CRP payments, and reduced expenses, the Wilsons saw a stronger financial return.
Beyond economics, they experienced a renewed connection to the land. Wildlife returned—quail, deer, bobcats, coyotes, foxes, butterflies, and bees. Drew Wilson appreciated the change, saying, “The conservation side of me likes it because quail and other wildlife love the prairie strips. I like knowing that the wildlife and the butterflies are getting use out of the land, [and] at the same time it’s helping us.”
The Wilsons credit FSA, NRCS, and partners like Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever for guiding them. Tim expressed his appreciation, stating, “I go up to the [USDA] office and sit down with them, and they work with me on my goals. All in all, the group we worked with, in my book, they get an A+.”
Looking to the future, Tim hopes CRP will help preserve the land for his grandchildren. As he shared, “We’re going to improve it to the maximum that we can for our grandkids and their grandkids. The vehicles that are going to help us are the programs USDA offers.”
Producers interested in General CRP may apply at their local USDA Service Center from March 9 through April 17, 2026.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-steve-baccon
Categories: Indiana, Rural Lifestyle