INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- On Friday evening, a total of 69 farming families were presented the prestigious Hoosier Homestead Award at the Indiana Statehouse.

Hosted by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, recognition is granted to those whose farms have been owned by the same families for 100 years or more, honoring their commitment to Indiana’s agricultural development.

“It is hard to put into words the value these farming families have provided to their communities, our state, and the Indiana agricultural industry since the formation of their farms,” said ISDA Director, Bruce Kettler.

Of the three awards available, three families were awarded honors for bicentennial ownership, including:

• The Williams farm from Madison County (est. 1822)
• The Hartman farm from Parke County (est. 1822)
• The Arnold farm from Rush County (est. 1821)

Beginning in 1976, over 6,000 family farms have received this award.

You can visit the event's page for a full list of the award recipients.

If you or a family you know are potentially eligible for the Hoosier Homestead Award, you can find an application online on the ISDA page.

The deadline for the March awards ceremony is November 1.