Iowa Century, Heritage farm families urged to apply for award

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey is encouraging eligible farm owners to apply for the 2012 Century and Heritage Farm Program. 

The program, sponsored by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa Farm Bureau, annually recognizes families that have owned their farm for 100 years in the case of Century Farms and 150 years for Heritage Farms. A ceremony recognizing this year's Century Farm and Heritage Farm owners will be held Aug. 14 at the Iowa State Fair.

The Century Farm program began in 1976 as part of the nation's bicentennial celebration and over 17,000 farms across the state have received the recognition.  The Heritage Farm program was started in 2006 and more than 500 farms have been recognized.

"These awards are an opportunity to recognize the hard work and commitment by these families that is necessary to keep a farm in the same family for 100 or 150 years," Northey said.  "If you consider all the challenges and unexpected obstacles each of them would have had to overcome during their life on the farm, it gives you a greater appreciation of the dedication and perseverance of these families."

Applications are available at www.IowaAgriculture.gov by clicking on the Century Farm or Heritage Farm link under "Hot Topics."

Applications also can be requested from Becky Lorenz, coordinator of the Century and Heritage Farm Program, by phone at (515) 281-3645, email at Becky.Lorenz@IowaAgriculture.gov or by writing to Century or Heritage Farms Program, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Henry A. Wallace Building, 502 E. Ninth St., Des Moines, IA 50319.

 Applications must be submitted to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship no later than June 1.