Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey recently recognized Century and Heritage Farm families. The event took place August 16^th, during the Iowa State Fair, in Des Moines. To qualify, a family must have owned at least 40-acres for 100-years or more, in the case of Century Farms, and 150-years or more, for a Heritage Farm.

This year, 341 Century Farms and 56 Heritage Farms were recognized. Among the Century Farms was: In Adair County – The Norman Kading, Incorporated, E. Eldon Eversull, and Bob Condon farms; In Adams County, the Tanner and Brittina Lund farm; in Audubon County, the Anthony P. Anthofer and Merle and Muryl Vokt farms; in Cass County, the LaVerne and Karen Ackerman farm; in Guthrie County, the Randy and Cynthia Ruth farm; in Montgomery County, the Terry Regan and Michael M. Anderson farms; in Pottawattamie County, the Ronald R. Paasch farm; and, in Shelby County, the Phyllis M. Allen, Joseph and Patricia Michels, and Mary Ann S. Schwery farms.

The Heritage Farm Program began in 2006, on the 30^th Anniversary of the Century Farm Program. To date, more than 500 farms have been recognized. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has partnered with the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation since 1976, to recognize families that have owned and worked a farm for 100-years or more. Including this year’s recipients, more than 17,000 farms across the state have been recognized.