Hoosier Homestead Families Recognized
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe state has honored dozens of long-time Hoosier farming families. During a semi-annual ceremony Friday at the Statehouse, Lieutenant Governor Sue Ellspermann and Department of Agriculture Director Ted McKinney recognized more than 60 families with Hoosier Homestead awards. March 6, 2015
News Release
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Today at the Indiana Statehouse, Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann and Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Ted McKinney presented 63 families with a Hoosier Homestead Award in recognition of their commitment to Indiana agriculture.
To be named a Hoosier Homestead, farms must be owned by the same family for at least 100 consecutive years and consist of more than 20 acres or produce more than $1,000 in agricultural products per year. The award distinctions are Centennial, Sesquicentennial and Bicentennial. One family was honored with the Bicentennial Award.
“The Hoosier Homestead Awards provide the opportunity to salute Indiana's rich agricultural heritage by honoring those Hoosiers whose farms have contributed to Indiana's economy and local communities for over 100 years,” said Lt. Governor Ellspermann. “We are proud to celebrate both the farms and the families that have continued to make Indiana a leader in agriculture.”
“The families celebrated here today remind us of what makes Indiana agriculture great,” Director McKinney said. “The Hoosier Homestead Award not only celebrates dedicated families working in Indiana agriculture, but also about preserving a way of life that values hard-work, integrity and community.”
The 63 families honored at today's ceremony join more than 5,000 Hoosier Homestead farms.
Administered by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, the semiannual Hoosier Homestead ceremonies are held in March during National Agriculture Month at the Indiana Statehouse and in August at the Indiana State Fair.
ABOUT ISDA
The Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) was established as a separate state agency by the Legislature in 2005. The Director is appointed by the Governor and is a member of the Governor’s Cabinet. Administratively, ISDA reports to Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann, who also serves as Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture. 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.
Source: The Office of Lieutenant Governor Sue Ellspermann