State Fair and Farm Bureau Federation Accepting Century Farm Applications
ST. PAUL, Minn.-- Minnesota families who have owned their farms for 100 years or more may apply for the 2013 Century Farms Program. Produced by the Minnesota State Fair in conjunction with the MinnesotaFarmBureauFederation, the Century Farms Program was created to promote agriculture and honor historic family farms in the state. Nearly 9,500 Minnesota farms have been honored since the program began in 1976.
Family farms are recognized as Century Farms when they meet three requirements. Thefarmmust be: 1) at least 100 years old according to authentic land records; 2) in continuous family ownership for at least 100 years (continuous residence on thefarmis not required); and 3) at least 50 acres.
A commemorative certificate signed by State Fair Board of Managers President Jim Foss, MinnesotaFarmBureauFederation President Kevin Paap and Governor Mark Dayton will be awarded to qualifying families, along with an outdoor sign signifying CenturyFarmstatus.
Applications are available online atmnstatefair.org(click the "Recognition Programs" link at the bottom of the home page); atfbmn.org; by calling the State Fair at (651) 288-4400; or at statewide county extension and countyFarmBureauoffices. The submission deadline is April 1. Recipients will be announced in May. Previously recognized families should not reapply.
Information on all Century Farms will be available at the MinnesotaFarmBureauexhibit during the 2013 Minnesota State Fair, which runs Aug. 22 - Labor Day, Sept. 2. A CenturyFarmdatabase is also available atfbmn.org.
