Arkansas Century Farm Program honors farm families in Arkansas

In November, then-Gov. Asa Hutchinson joined Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward and the Arkansas Department of Agriculture in inducting 37 additional Arkansas farms into the Arkansas Century Farm Program.

The Arkansas Century Farm program recognizes Arkansas farms of 10 acres or more owned by the same family for at least 100 years. The Arkansas Department of Agriculture began the Century Farm Program in 2012 to highlight the contributions of these families to the agriculture industry as well as their overall contributions to our state.

Agriculture is Arkansas’ largest industry, contributing $19 billion to the state’s economy annually and providing one of every seven jobs in the state. Arkansas consistently ranks in the top 25 nationally in the production of more than 16 agricultural commodities.

“Agriculture is Arkansas’s No. 1 industry. Farmers are the strength of our state. To be a farmer takes great perseverance. No one is more optimistic than a farmer. No one perseveres more. The families that have held the same farm for a hundred years or more demonstrate that,” Hutchinson said. “Farm families are essential for our economy, but you also are part of the fabric of our state. Congratulations to this year’s Century Farm Families.”

Throughout the state, 563 farms are currently recognized as Arkansas Century Farms. The 37 newly inducted Century Farms are from 25 counties in Arkansas, with seven of them located in Northwest Arkansas: Douglas Farm and Triple A Farms in Benton County; Hopkins Farm in Boone County; Juathina Walden Claspill Farm, Roger and Vickie Walden Farm, and Smead and Mabel Walden Farm in Carroll County; JC Farms in Crawford County.