17 Stearns County Farms Recognized in Century Farm Program

ST. CLOUD -- 136 longtime family farms across the state are being recognized this year thanks to the Century Farm Program.

The Minnesota State Fair and the Minnesota Farm Bureau began the program back in 1976 and have recognized more than 10,500 Minnesota farms.

Qualifying farms have been in continuous family ownership for at least 100 years. Each recipient gets an outdoor sign designating the farm as a "Century Farm" and a certificate signed by the governor.

Stearns County has 17 of the 136 century farms being recognized this year. There are 8 in Albany, 2 in Paynesville and Freeport and 1 in Belgrade, Richmond, South Haven, St. Stephen and St. Cloud.

Benton County also made the list with three century farms while there was one farm in Sherburne County.

Applications for the 2020 Century Farm program can be found on the Minnesota State Fair website.