(Iowa State Fair at night - KIWA Staff Photo)Des Moines, Iowa (RI) — A few thousand people were recognized at the Iowa State Fair this past week for having a farm in the family for over 100 years. The Century Farm program was launched at the 1976 Iowa State Fair – and five thousand farms that had been in the same family since 1876 or earlier were recognized.
Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig says this year’s honorees are being recognized as the Fair marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
The nearly day-long ceremony recognized 274 Century Farms and another 240 Heritage Farms that have been in the same family for at least 150 years. The event was held in the Iowa State Fair’s Livestock Pavilion, which was built in 1902 and was the first major building on the fairgrounds.
The name of each family and the location of their farm was announced, then families stepped onto the stage for a commemorative photo, and they were handed a sign to put up at their farm showing it’s been in the same family for generations.
