Last week, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Bruce Kettler presented 55 families with Hoosier Homestead Awards, recognizing their commitment to Indiana agriculture.
The presentations were made at the Indiana Statehouse.
To be named a Hoosier Homestead, a farm 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.
Lt. Governor Crouch says Agriculture is very much a family affair, with roughly 97 percent of farms family-owned and -operated nationwide. She added that for generations, these families have been foundational to the social and economic advancement of Indiana.
Families are eligible for three different distinctions of the Hoosier Homestead Award, based on the age of the farm. They can receive the Centennial Award for 100 years, Sesquicentennial Award for 150 years or Bicentennial Award for 200 years of ownership.
In Dubois County, three farms were recognized. They include:
The Jochum Farm with the Centennial Award. The farm has been in operation since 1912.
The Rauscher – Thieman farm which has been around since 1838, picked up the Centennial & Sesquicentennial Award
And the Winkenhofer – Thieman farm with the Centennial & Sesquicentennial award. That farm has been around since 1841.
And in Spencer County, five farms received Hoosier Homestead Awards, recognizing their commitment to Indiana agriculture.
They include:
The Adolph Hurm farm which was awarded a sesquicentennial honor. They have been around since 1869,
Founded in 1909, The Lloyd, Linegar and Richards farm was bestowed with a centennial award.
The Richard and Loyce Gries (Arnold) farm, founded in 1902, was recognized with a centennial honor.
The Lueken farm was awarded a sesquicentennial honor. It was established in 1868.
And The Lloyd farm was recognized with a sesquicentennial honor. They have been in the industry since 1848.
Since the program’s inception in 1976, more than 5,500 families have received the awards.