HARRISBURG, PA — Beneath the banners and crowds of the Pennsylvania Farm Show on Friday, state leaders paused to honor a rarer sight than blue ribbons or prize livestock: family farms that have endured for generations, surviving wars, depressions, and sweeping economic change.
On the seventh day of the 2026 Pennsylvania Farm Show, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding designated 11 Pennsylvania farms as Bicentennial or Centennial farms, recognizing seven families whose land has remained in the same hands for at least 100 years and four Bicentennial farms dating back two centuries, including one that traces its roots to the Revolutionary War.
The designations are part of a long-running state program aimed at spotlighting the endurance of Pennsylvania’s agricultural backbone. Since the Department of Agriculture launched the Century Farm program in 1977 and the Bicentennial Farm program in 2004, the Commonwealth has formally recognized 2,378 century and bicentennial farms, along with two tricentennial farms.
“These farms tell a powerful story of families who have worked the same land for generations,” Davis said, calling the honorees living proof that agriculture remains central to Pennsylvania’s identity and future.
Redding said the families being honored represent more than longevity. He described them as stewards of land, community anchors, and contributors to the state’s food system whose commitment has preserved both livelihoods and rural traditions.
The honored farms span Berks, Butler, Clearfield, Fayette, Indiana, Mercer, Perry, and Wayne counties, ranging from century-old crop and livestock operations to sprawling Bicentennial farms established in the 1700s. Among them is a Fayette County property first purchased in 1769 by a Revolutionary War–era farmer, with original structures still in use today.
Pennsylvania leads the nation in preserved farmland, having protected more than 6,600 farms and 661,000 acres since voters created the state’s Farmland Preservation Program in 1988. Officials say that effort remains a priority under Gov. Josh Shapiro, who has made agriculture one of the pillars of the state’s 10-year economic development strategy.
Nearly 49,000 farms contribute $132.5 billion annually to Pennsylvania’s economy and support close to 600,000 jobs, according to state figures cited during the ceremony.
The Farm Show, which runs through Saturday, serves as the kickoff to Pennsylvania’s America250PA commemorations marking the nation’s 250th anniversary. For the families recognized Friday, the milestone carried a deeper meaning: their farms are not just part of history exhibits, but living institutions still shaping the Commonwealth’s future.
More information about the Farm Show and the Century and Bicentennial Farm programs is available at farmshow.pa.gov.
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