Leising: Local farms honored with Hoosier Homestead Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jesse Cordray, Press Secretary
Jesse.Cordray@iga.in.gov
317-232-9498

Local farms honored with Hoosier Homestead Award

STATEHOUSE (Aug. 7, 2020) – Area legislators recently announced the latest recipients of the Hoosier Homestead Award, which recognizes farms owned and maintained by the same family for 100 years or more.

The Hoosier Homestead Award Program honors families who have made significant contributions to Indiana agriculture. Instituted in 1976, the program recognizes the impact these family farms have made on the economic, cultural and social advancements of Indiana. In the past 40 years, more than 5,800 farms have received the honor.

Represented by State Sen. Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) and State Reps. Sean Eberhart (R-Shelbyville) and Cindy Ziemke (R-Batesville), 10 locally owned farms were recently honored:

• The Bogemann farm in Shelby County received a Sesquicentennial Award;
  
  
• The Byron E. Smith farm in Rush County received a Sesquicentennial Award;
  
  
• The Eckstein farm in Ripley County received a Centennial Award;
  
  
• The Hirt farm in Franklin County received a Centennial Award;
  
  
• The Huber-Hoff farm in Ripley County received a Sesquicentennial Award;
  
  
• The John-Haehl-Ellison farm in Shelby County received a Centennial Award;
  
  
• The Lowell G. Manlove farm in Fayette County received a Sesquicentennial Award;
  
  
• The Norman Manlove farm in Fayette County received a Sesquicentennial Award;
  
  
• The Mahan farm in Rush County received a Centennial Award; and
  
  
• The Wayne Scholl farm in Fayette County received a Sesquicentennial Award.

"Indiana farmers contribute billions of dollars each year to our state's economy," Leising said. "I commend these families for their accomplishments and for all they do to help make Indiana the 10th largest farming state in the nation."

"Running a farm for over a century is no easy task," Eberhart said. "These families should be proud of reaching this milestone, and our community and state are grateful for their many years of dedication to the agriculture industry."

"The Hoosier Homestead Award program gives Indiana's famers the chance to proudly show their commitment to their communities," Ziemke said. "Recipients can display the award for customers and neighbors to see, while bringing attention to their contributions to our state over the years."

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 of agricultural products per year. The award distinctions are Centennial, Sesquicentennial and Bicentennial – for 100, 150 and 200 years, respectively.

To learn more about the program or to apply for a Hoosier Homestead Award, visit www.in.gov/isda/2337.htm. Once made available, photos of the event can be found here.

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State Sen. Jean Leising represents Senate District 42, which includes all of Rush County and portions of Decatur, Fayette, Franklin, Henry, Ripley and Shelby counties.

State Rep. Sean Eberhart (R-Shelbyville) represents House District 57, which includes Shelby County and portions of Bartholomew and Hancock counties.

State Rep. Cindy Ziemke (R-Batesville) represents House District 55, which includes all of Fayette County and portions of Decatur, Franklin, Ripley and Rush counties.