Press Release

Colorado Centennial Farms Seeks Nominations for 2013 Awards

April 30 deadline!

DENVER — Families who have owned and operated their Colorado farm or ranch for 100 years or more are encouraged to submit a nomination to receive a Colorado Centennial Farms award. Selected nominees will be honored at the 27th Annual Centennial Farms Celebration at the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo, Colo., in August 2013. Farmers and ranchers nominating their property for this award must submit an application providing information about the history of their farm and its buildings by close of business on Tuesday, April 30, 2013.

 Nominees must meet the following requirements to be selected as a Colorado Centennial Farm:

  • Farming or ranching properties must have remained in the same family continuously for at least 100 years
  • Each property must still operate as a working farm or ranch­­­
  • Farms or ranches must have a minimum of 160 acres
  • Properties with fewer than 160 acres can qualify if they gross at least $1,000 in annual sales

 History Colorado and the Colorado Department of Agriculture created the Colorado Centennial Farms Program in 1986 to recognize the important role that agriculture has played in the state’s history and economic development.

How to nominateDownload a Colorado Centennial Farms application, or call Lyle Miller at 303-866-2779.

Due Date: Tuesday, April 30, 2013.

Centennial Farms Awards:

The 2013 Colorado Centennial Farms awards will be presented at the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo in August. At the ceremony, award recipients will receive a certificate signed by the Governor and a sign to display on their property. In addition, the National Trust for Historic Preservation will recognize families who have maintained the historic buildings on their property that are 50 years old or older.

To date, more than 400 Colorado farms and ranches representing 61 counties across the state have received the Centennial Farms award. The majority of these farms were established between 1880 and 1895.

Questions: Lyle Miller, 303-866-2779 or email lyle.miller@state.co.us

Media Contact: Shannon Haltiwanger

shannon.haltiwanger@state.co.us, 303-866-2049