Recognized for their families’ longstanding commitment to agriculture, 106 Indiana family farms were presented the Hoosier Homestead Award today at the Indiana State Fair from Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Bruce Kettler.

To be named a Hoosier Homestead, farms must be owned by the same family for more than 100 consecutive years, and consist of 20 acres or more, or produce more than $1,000 in agricultural products per year.

Based on the age of the farm, families are eligible for three different distinctions of the Hoosier Homestead Award. They can receive the Centennial Award for 100 years, Sesquicentennial Award for 150 years or Bicentennial Award for 200 years of ownership.

For this ceremony four Indiana farms received the Bicentennial Award for 200 years of continuous ownership. They include, the Hartman family farm from Parke county, the Speer family farm from Jennings county and the Layton Acres, Inc. family farm and the Logan family farm, both from Rush County.

Also recognized this week (award year):

Clay County: Jones (1870); Killion (1830); Milligan, Brown & Thomas (1863)

Hendricks County: Leak (1863)

Parke County: Mabel Thompson (1877)

Since the program's inception in 1976, over 6,100 families have received the award. Often, a Hoosier Homestead farm is easily recognized because most recipients proudly display their awarded sign on their property.