Record number of farming families honored at Indiana State Fair

INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 12, 2016) — The Indiana State Fair, Lt. Governor Eric Holcomb and Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) Director Ted McKinney presented 92 families – a record number – with a Hoosier Homestead Award in recognition of their commitment to Indiana agriculture.

“Agriculture has been our state’s calling card for the past 200 years, and we owe that to the tremendous contributions made by Indiana’s farming families. Their hard work, innovation and collaboration move our state forward each and every day,” said Lt. Governor Holcomb, who also serves as Indiana Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development.

To be named a Hoosier Homestead, farms must be owned by the same family for more than 100 consecutive years, and consist of more than 20 acres or produce more than $1000 of agricultural products per year. The award distinctions recognized are Centennial (for 100 years of ownership), Sesquicentennial (for 150 years of ownership) and Bicentennial (for 200 years of ownership). Notably, the Bicentennial Award was presented to four families during Friday’s ceremony.

“Farming families are at the heart of Indiana’s story, and the values they have passed down, from generation to generation, are just as strong today as they were 200 years ago,” Director McKinney said. “It was an honor being able to recognize their legacy, which was built around one of Indiana’s longest and most notable industries.”

The families honored today join more than 5,000 Hoosier Homestead farms. Administered by ISDA and currently in its 40th year, semiannual recognition ceremonies are held in March at the Indiana Statehouse and in August at the Indiana State Fair.

Below is a list of today’s Hoosier Homestead Award recipients:

For more information about the Hoosier Homestead Awards, please visit www.isda.in.gov.