Jasinski: Congratulations to Century & Sesquicentennial farms!

Friends and neighbors,

Minnesota has a rich agricultural tradition that is a major contributor to our economy. Just as rich is Minnesota’s legacy of small individual and family-run farms, which account for over 85% of operations. 

Among these family farms, a select few have been continuously worked for over a century, some for more than 150 years. These historic homesteads are honored by the State Fair and Farm Bureau with Century Farm and Sesquicentennial Farm designations, celebrating their remarkable longevity and significance to our state’s farming story.

Century farms have been in continuous family ownership for at least 100 years and encompass 50 acres or more. Receiving the Century Farm honor is a momentous achievement, signifying a family’s commitment to preserving their land and way of life across multiple generations. Since the program began back in 1976, over 11,000 Minnesota farms have earned this distinguished recognition.

This year’s Century farm honorees are Foss Farms in Kenyon, which was established in 1912, and The Prieve Family Farm in Faribault, which was established in 1892.

The Sesquicentennial Farm designation is reserved for a rare and special group of farms that have remained in the same family for 150 years or more. To qualify, the farm must be at least 50 acres in size and actively involved in agricultural production. Just imagine – these families have nurtured the same land through the Civil War era, two World Wars, the Great Depression, and every other national and global event over the past century and a half.

This year’s Sesquicentennial farm honoree is the Wille Legacy Farm in Kenyon, which was established in 1866.

Congratulations to these families! They are inspirations to us all, proving that with dedication, farms can prosper generation after generation. 

SUPPORT FOR FARMERS

Being a farmer is extremely challenging. Aside from the long hours of physical work, their livelihoods are often tied to things out of their control like floods, droughts, supply chain issues, or simple economics. The isolation of the job combined with stresses about finances, debt, regulations, and weather make it even more taxing on their mental health.

Luckily, Minnesota has some resources to help farmers through these challenges.

For starters, we have the Farm and Rural Helpline, which helps farmers through all sorts of challenges. They can be reached here:

We also have the Farm Advocates program, which provides free one-on-one assistance to farmers who are facing financial problems or challenges caused by natural disasters. 

If you are in a bad spot and aren’t sure what to do, Farm Advocates can help. They’ll come to you and help you figure out your next steps, and everything is free and confidential.

You can visit their website at www.mda.state.mn.us/about/commissionersoffice/farmadvocates

CONTACT ME

If you have any questions about any issues we are working on at the legislature, feel free to contact me any time at sen.john.jasinski@senate.mn or 651-296-0284.

And you can always get the latest news from St. Paul on my Facebook page at fb.com/SenatorJohnJasinski.

 It is a privilege to serve you!

John