Several Arkansas Century Farms Honored from Region

Over a half dozen of the Century Farms honored in a ceremony in Little Rock Monday are from the region. 

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. 

The Hopkins Family Farm in Boone County is on the list for 2022 as well as the Juathina Walden Claspill, the Roger and Vickie Walden, and the Smead and Mabel Walden Farms in Carroll County. Other area farms honored in Monday’s Ceremony included the Lager/Lackey and Our Green Acre at Steel Creek Farms in Newton County along with the Halstead Homestead and Younger Farm in Searcy County. 

The complete release from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture can be found below:

Governor Asa Hutchinson was joined today by 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’s largest industry, contributing more than $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,” Governor 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.” 
 
563 farms are currently recognized as Arkansas Century Farms throughout the state. The 37 newly inducted Century Farms are located in the following 25 counties: Arkansas, Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Clark, Cleveland, Conway, Craighead, Crawford, Faulkner, Franklin, Fulton, Garland, Independence, Izard, Lincoln, Lonoke, Newton, Perry, Prairie, Pulaski, Searcy, Van Buren, and White.

A list of Arkansas Century Farms can be found at agriculture.arkansas.gov/arkansas-department-of-agriculture-services/arkansas-century-farm-program/. Find the photos from the induction ceremony at flic.kr/s/aHBqjA9BdZ.

For more information about the Arkansas Century Farm program, contact Beth Moore at beth.moore@agriculture.arkansas.gov.