Buffer Ohio Award Winner- Bateson Farms

News Release
For Release: Wednesday, January 23, 2002
Columbus, Ohio

Bateson Farms of Rudolph was recognized today as one of ten statewide Buffer Ohio Award Winners. The award was presented at the Annual Meeting of the Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

Buffer Ohio is a statewide awards program, which recognizes exceptional landowners who have done an outstanding job of applying and maintaining conservation buffer practices to the Ohio landscape. It is co-sponsored by Ohio Farm Bureau, Ohio Corn Growers, Pheasants Forever, ODNR Division of Wildlife, ODNR Division of Forestry, ODNR Division of Soil and Water Conservation, Ohio Wetlands Foundation, Nature Conservancy, Ohio Soybean Association, National Conservation Buffer Council, USDA Farm Service Agency, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and the Lake Erie Buffer Team.

Conservation buffer practices include grass filter strips, riparian tree plantings, sod waterways, wetland restorations, and windbreaks. They are a fundamental part of the conservation effort to protect and enhance Ohio’s precious soil, water, plant, and animal resources. Buffer practices provide improved agricultural production, erosion control, water quality, and wildlife habitat benefits. Buffer areas trap sediment, nutrients, pesticides, provide food and cover for wildlife, and increase plant and animal diversity.

Tom, Mike, and Harold Bateson, owners of Bateson Farms, were recognized for their work in installing conservation buffer practices.  The Batesons raise nearly 2,150 acres of corn, soybean, and wheat using conservation tillage. They have been very active in the programs offered by Wood SWCD. The Batesons have installed three erosion control structures and over 1,900 feet of surface drainage. Using the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) they have seeded over 34 acres of filter strips along nearly eleven miles of ditches and have planted nine acres of native grass plantings. Tom, Mike, and Harold own farms along heavily traveled roads and have agreed to post signs on these properties to educate the public about the filter strip, grass seeding, or no-till practices they have implemented. Batesons are also in the process of tiling their farms that need further drainage and have installed over 70,000 feet of tile in one year with their own tile equipment. Bateson Farms have done an excellent job of applying and maintaining the conservation buffer practices installed as well as educating the public about those practices.

As part of the award Bateson Farms received a cash award, recognition plaque, and Buffer Ohio Jacket. Award recipients were selected based on a review of their conservation buffer accomplishments. Judging was done by a committee of the Buffer Ohio Partner Organizations.

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