A Century Farm or Centennial Farm is a farm or ranch in the United States or Canada that has been officially recognized by a regional program documenting the farm has been continuously owned by a single family for 100 years or more. Some regions also have Sesquicentennial Farm (150 years) and Bicentennial Farm (200 years) programs.

In most states and provinces, the essential requirement for the award is that the property must have remained in the same family continuously for 100 years or more and currently be a working farm or ranch. Some states stipulate a minimum number of acres or annual agricultural sales.

Background

Canada In Canada, Century Farm recognition in the province of Ontario was initiated as a Canadian Centennial project of the Junior Farmers' Association of Ontario (JFAO) in 1967. In Alberta the Alberta Century Farm & Ranch Award is administered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and similar programs are run by individual counties and municipalities.

United States In the United States, one of the first organizations to begin officially recognizing the farms was the New York State Agricultural Society in 1937. Several states began their programs during the United States Bicentennial in 1976. Recognition from state to state varies. It is usually handled by the state's agriculture or natural resources department in conjunction with the American Farm Bureau Federation and the Cooperative extension service of the United States Department of Agriculture, or the state's historical society. In other states, civic groups such as the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben perform the function. The awards are frequently done at the state fair.

The award typically defines a farm as or more and consists of a plaque and a sign as well as formal listing.

In Oregon, in addition to century farms and ranches, the Department of Agriculture began to recognize sesquicentennial farms and ranches in 2008.

StateProgramFoundedMin. acresOversightNotes Alabama Century and Heritage Farm ProgramBicentennial Farm program 1976 40 Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries Alabama's Century and Heritage Farm program has recognized more than 700 farms across the state. Century Farms have been owned by the same family for at least one-hundred years with current agricultural activity. A Heritage Farm has been a working family farm for at least one-hundred years, has interesting and important agricultural and historical aspects, and one or more historical structure (at least 40 years old). The Bicentennial Farm program was established in 2017 to honor farms that have played a significant role in Alabama history and have been in opposition for at least 200 years. As of June 2026 only 17 farms have received this designation Arkansas Arkansas Century Farm Program 2012 10 Arkansas Agriculture DepartmentCalifornia CACenturyFarms2018N/APrivate entityColorado Centennial Farms 1986 160 History Colorado Connecticut Century Farm Award 2011 Connecticut Agricultural Information Council DelawareCentury Farm Program198710Delaware Department of Agriculture Florida Century Pioneer Family Farm Program 1985 Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services To qualify, a farm must be owned by a family for at least 100 continuous years. Georgia Centennial Farms 1993 10 Historic Preservation Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, in cooperation with the Georgia Farm Bureau Federation; the Georgia Department of Agriculture; the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences; the Georgia Forestry Commission; and the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter Idaho Century Farm and Ranch Program 1972 40 Idaho State Historical Society Illinois Centennial and Sesquicentennial Farms 1972 Illinois Department of Agriculture Indiana Hoosier Homestead Award Program 1976 20 Indiana State Department of Agriculture Iowa Century Farms 1976 Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship Kansas Century Farms 2000 80 Kansas Farm Bureau Kentucky Historic Farms Program 1992 Kentucky Heritage Council and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture Louisiana Louisiana Century Farm Program 20 Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation, and Louisiana Land Bank Maryland Century Farm Award 10 Maryland Department of Agriculture Massachusetts Massachusetts Century Farms Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation To qualify, a farm must have been in the same family for 100 years or more and is currently being farmed. Michigan Centennial Farms 1948 10 Historical Society of Michigan Minnesota Century and Sesquicentennial Farms 1976 Minnesota Farm Bureau Mississippi Centennial Farm ProgramCentennial Farm Program Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce Missouri Century Farm Program 1976 40 University of Missouri Extension Montana Centennial Farm and Ranch Program 2009 Montana Historical Society Nebraska Pioneer Farm Family Awards 1961 (approx.) Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben Foundation, Nebraska Farm Bureau Nevada Centennial Ranch and Farm Awards Program 2004 160 Agricultural Council of Nevada, Nevada Agricultural Foundation, Cattlemen's Association, Nevada Farm Bureau, Heritage Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service New Hampshire Century Farm Book 2016 New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation New Jersey Century Farm Award New Jersey Agricultural Society To qualify, a farm must have been in the same family and been operational for at least 100 years. New York Century Farm Award 1937 New York State Agricultural Society North Carolina Century Farm Family Program 1970 North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services North Dakota Centennial Farms 1988 Lewis and Clark Fort Mandan Foundation Ohio Century Farms 1993 Ohio Department of Agriculture Also has a Bicentennial Farm program. Not to be confused with Ohio Bicentennial barns; see Barn advertisement. Oklahoma Centennial Farm and Ranch Program 1993 40 Oklahoma State Historic Preservation Office, Oklahoma Historical Society, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture Oregon Century Farm and Ranch Program 1958 Oregon Agricultural Education Foundation, Oregon Farm Bureau, Oregon State Historic Preservation Office, Oregon Department of Agriculture, Oregon Travel Information Council Also has a Sesquicentennial Farm program Pennsylvania Century and Bicentennial Farm Program 1937 10 Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture South Carolina South Carolina Century Farms Program 1974 Pendleton District South Carolina South Dakota Century Farms 2000 80 South Dakota Department of Agriculture Also has a Quasquicentennial (125 years) Farm program Tennessee Century Farms 1975 10 Center for Historic Preservation at Middle Tennessee State University, formerly Tennessee Department of Agriculture Also recognizes Pioneer Century Farms (established in or before 1796), and African American Century Farms (farms founded by emancipated slaves and their children) Texas Family Land Heritage Program 1974 10 Texas Department of Agriculture Utah Century Farms & Ranches 1995 Utah Department of Agriculture and Food Nearly 500 farms have been recognized. Vermont Vermont Century Farms Program 1953 Vermont State Grange and Vermont Farm Bureau Virginia Virginia Century Farm Program 1997 Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services There are 1,332 Virginia Century Farms. West Virginia West Virginia Century Farm Program 2015 10 West Virginia Association of Conservation Districts Wisconsin Century and Sesquicentennial Farm and Home Program 1948 8,583 century farms or homes616 sesquicentennial farms or homes"," Farm Report with Pam Jahnke, February 16, 2012. Retrieved October 26, 2012. Wyoming Centennial Farm and Ranch program 2006 (reestablished) 160 Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office, Wyoming Department of Agriculture, Wyoming Stock Growers Association, Wyoming Wool Growers Association, Wyoming Rural Electric Association

References

External links Century Farms and Ranches Web Exhibit from the Oregon Secretary of State