Applications are now open for the 2026 West Virginia Century Farm Program, which recognizes families who have farmed the same land for generations. The program honors West Virginia farms that have remained in the same family for 100 years or more, celebrating the long-standing role of agriculture in communities across the state.
Farms are recognized in four categories based on years of continuous family ownership and operation:
● Century Farms (100 years)
● Sesquicentennial Farms (150 years)
● Bicentennial Farms (200 years)
● Sestercentennial Farms (250 years)
To be eligible, a farm must have been in continuous operation by the same family, include at least 10 acres of the original land, and generate more than $1,000 annually from farm products. A family member must have lived on the farm or played an integral role in the day-to-day operation of the farm enterprise. Ownership may pass through wives, husbands, children, brothers, sisters, nephews, or nieces.
Applications for the 2026 program are available in PDF format at https://www.wvca.us/education/pdf/centuryFarmAppl_U1225.pdf. Check with Tygarts Valley Conservation District to find out when applications must be submitted by.
All conservation districts must submit their approved Century Farm applications to Ken Brown by April 1, 2026.
For more information about the West Virginia Century Farm Program, please contact Ken Brown at retiredtch20023@yahoo.com or by phone (304) 617-1682.
