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Centennial Farms

photo from media day
President David Borlaug and Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring at the Centennial Farms media day.

The North Dakota Centennial Farms Program celebrates our state's agricultural heritage by recognizing families that have lived on and/or owned their farms or ranches for more than a century.

The program was started in 1988 as part of North Dakota's centennial observance the following year. Since then, hundreds of families have registered their agricultural operations as Centennial Farms. In 2009, the Lewis & Clark Fort Mandan Foundation took over the Centennial Farms program from the North Dakota Department of Agriculture.

Centennial Farms can be found in more than 40 North Dakota counties. Some are presently owned by the children of the original settlers; others are now in the fifth generation of the same family. Every Centennial Farm is unique, and every Centennial Farm is part of North Dakota's proud and rich history.

To be eligible for Centennial Farm status, applicants must show that their family has continuously owned or lived on the farm or ranch for 100 years or more. For example, if an ancestor settled on a homestead in 1900, and his or her descendants still lived on or owned the land in 2000, the farm would be eligible for the designation.

Centennial Farms Application (document)
File Size: 202.28 kb
Application for Centennial Farms



Centennial Farms Interactive Exhibit

centennial farms photo

The Centennial Farms Interactive Exhibit is a searchable database that contains the names of registered Centennial Farms in North Dakota. This exhibit will be updated as new applications are submitted and certificates are awarded.

There are plans to add more information to the database as the kiosk gets updated. Pictures and even video of the farms as they are now, or stories shared from the people who had lived there, or their relatives, will be available.

This exhibit is intended to be updated frequently. The first phase of this project has been implemented and the second phase will make this information available on a searchable website in the future.

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