June 1 deadline for Century and Heritage Farm owners to apply

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey reminds eligible farm owners that the deadline to apply for the 2016 Century and Heritage Farm Program is June 1.  The program recognizes families that have owned their farm for 100 years in the case of Century Farms and 150 years for Heritage Farms.

Farm families with a century or heritage farm must submit an application to the Department no later than June 1 to qualify for recognition at the Iowa State Fair this year. 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 may also be requested from Becky Lorenz, Coordinator of the Century and Heritage Farm Program, via phone at 515-281-3645, by e-mail 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. 9th St., Des Moines, IA 50319.

The program is sponsored by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation.  The ceremony to recognize the 2016 Century and Heritage Farms is scheduled to be held at the Iowa State Fair Thursday, August 18 in the Pioneer Livestock Pavilion.

This is the 40th anniversary of the Century Farm program, which started in 1976 with the Nation’s Bicentennial Celebration. The Heritage Farm program was started in 2006, the 30th anniversary of the Century Farm program.