Applications due for Century, Heritage farm recognition

DES MOINES ?Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey reminds eligible farm owners that June 1is the deadline to apply for the 2011 Century and Heritage Farm Program. The program recognizes families that have owned their farm for 100 years in case of Century Farms and 150 years for Heritage Farms.

Farm families interested in participating in the Century or Heritage Farms Program must have their applications postmarked no later than June 1.

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

Applications also can be requested from Linda Rosky, coordinator of the Century and Heritage Farm Program via phone at 515-281-3645, email to Linda.Rosky@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, 50319.

The ceremony to recognize the Century and Heritage Farms will be held at the Iowa State Fair and is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 16.

The Century and Heritage Farms program is sponsored by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa Farm Bureau. 

The Century Farm program began in 1976 as part of the nation?s Bicentennial Celebration and nearly 17,000 farms from across the state have received recognition. The Heritage Farm program was started in 2006, and more than 450 farms have been recognized.

Last year 346 Century Farms and 66 Heritage Farms were recognized.