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Centennial, Sesquicentennial & Bicentennial Farms
Centennial Farms
The Centennial Farms program honors generations of farmers who have worked to maintain family farms in Illinois. To qualify for Centennial Farm status, an agricultural property must have been owned by the same family of lineal or collateral descendants for at least 100 years. A lineal descendant is a person in the direct line of descent, such as a child or a grandchild. A collateral descendant is not a direct descendant, but is otherwise closely related, such as a brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece or cousin.
Sesquicentennial Farms
The Sesquicentennial Farms Program recognizes farms that have been held by descendants of the same family for 150 years or more. To qualify for Sesquicentennial Farm status, an agricultural property must have been owned by the same family of lineal or collateral descendants for at least 150 years. A lineal descendant is a person in the direct line of descent, such as a child or a grandchild. A collateral descendant is not a direct descendant, but is otherwise closely related, such as a brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece or cousin.
Bicentennial Farms
The Bicentennial Farms Program recognizes farms that have been held by descendants of the same family for 200 years or more. To qualify for Bicentennial Farm status, an agricultural property must have been owned by the same family of lineal or collateral descendants for at least 200 years. A lineal descendant is a person in the direct line of descent, such as a child or a grandchild. A collateral descendant is not a direct descendant, but is otherwise closely related, such as a brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece or cousin.
Applicants who complete a form and meet all requirements of that program, receive an official farm sign suitable for outdoor display and a certificate bearing signatures of the governor of Illinois and the director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture. There is an $50 application fee to offset the cost of the sign.
More Information
Answers to frequently asked questions can be found HERE.
For more information please contact:
Illinois Centennial / Sesquicentennial/Bicentennial Farms Program
Illinois Department of Agriculture Marketing and Promotions
State Fairgrounds
P. O. Box 19281
Springfield, Illinois 62794-9281
Phone: 217-557-6993
Email: AGR.CentFarms@illinois.gov