NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Over 55 farming families honored with the

Hoosier Homestead Award

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INDIANAPOLIS (March 24, 2023) ??At the Indiana Statehouse, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) Director Don Lamb presented 56 farming families with a Hoosier Homestead Award in recognition of their commitment to Indiana agriculture.

?It is a true honor to be in the historic Statehouse today celebrating your incredible family farming history,? said Lt. Gov. Crouch, Indiana?s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. ?Your commitment to Indiana and our agriculture history and future is renowned. It was awe-inspiring to celebrate this family achievement with you all today.?

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. If less than 20 acres, the farm must produce more than $1,000 of agricultural products per year. Indiana farms may qualify for three honors: Centennial Award for 100 years of ownership, Sesquicentennial Award for 150 years of ownership and the Bicentennial Award for 200 years of ownership.

Since the program's inception in 1976, over 6,000 families have received the Hoosier Homestead Award. Many past awardees can be identified by the sign proudly displayed in front of the family farm or field.

?Being a farmer myself I know how challenging it is to farm today in general, and to keep the same property in the family for decades on end, no less,? said Lamb. ?This award being presented today to your farming families is proof of your dedication to agriculture, to our State and to feeding our world, so I thank you.?

Below is a list of the Hoosier Homestead Award recipients honored during the spring 2023 ceremony:

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To view photos from the Spring 2023 Hoosier Homestead Award Ceremony at the Indiana Statehouse, click here. All family photos will be available online by March 31, 2023.?

The 2023 Summer Hoosier Homestead Award Ceremony will take place on Aug. 16, 2023 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.?

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Pictured above is the Hays family from Greene county. They received their Centennial and Sesquicentennial awards for100 years and 150 years of family ownership, respectively.?

ABOUT ISDA

The?Indiana State Department of Agriculture?(ISDA) reports to?Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch,? Indiana?s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. Major responsibilities include advocacy for Indiana agriculture at the local, state and federal level, managing soil conservation programs, promoting economic development and agricultural innovation, serving as a regulatory ombudsman for agricultural businesses, and licensing grain firms throughout the state.