- Illinois Centennial / Sesquicentennial Farms Program
- Illinois Department of Agriculture Marketing and Promotions
- State Fairgrounds
- P. O. Box 19281
- Springfield, Illinois 62794-9281
- Phone: 217-524-9129
- Fax: 217-524-5960
- Email: AGR.CentFarms@illinois.gov
- Website Link:
Purpose of the Program
The Centennial Farms program honors generations of farmers who have worked to maintain family farms in Illinois. To qualify for Centennial Farm status, an agricultural property must have been owned by the same family of lineal or collateral descendants for at least 100 years. A lineal descendant is a person in the direct line of descent, such as a child or a grandchild. A collateral descendant is not a direct descendant, but is otherwise closely related, such as a brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece or cousin.
The Sesquicentennial Farms Program recognizes farms that have been held by descendants of the same family for 150 years or more. To qualify for Sesquicentennial Farm status, an agricultural property must have been owned by the same family of lineal or collateral descendants for at least 150 years. A lineal descendant is a person in the direct line of descent, such as a child or a grandchild. A collateral descendant is not a direct descendant, but is otherwise closely related, such as a brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece or cousin.