Ohio Department of Agriculture Director David Daniels honored the area’s oldest historic farm families from Clinton, Fayette, Highland, and Ross counties at a ceremony at Creekview Barn in Leesburg. The event fell on National Agriculture Day, March 15, a day of honoring the importance of agriculture in our everyday lives.

During the ceremony, Daniels honored the Levo, Carey, and Strafford families with resolutions from Gov. Kasich and Lt. Governor Mary Taylor for their outreach in educating local farm families about Ohio's Historic Family Farms program.

Ohio Department of Agriculture Director David T. Daniels honored three historic farm families from the New Vienna area who have maintained long-standing friendships and helped spread the word about the Ohio’s Historic Family Farms program. Pictured from left: Director Daniels, Becky Strafford, Craig Strafford, Kathy Levo, John Levo, Bob Carey and Lanasue Carey.

“These three families are out there talking with area people who might not otherwise learn about this historic program,” said Daniels. “But the bigger picture is, their efforts help keep agriculture at the forefront, which keeps our communities strong, our state strong and our nation strong.”

Daniels also announced the addition of the Ohio Sesquicentennial Farm designation to the program. Ohio’s Historic Family Farms Program now has three levels of recognition: century, sesquicentennial and bicentennial.

Ohio’s Historic Family Farms program, which was originally named Ohio’s Century Farm program, began in 1993 with only a few hundred farms. Today there are nearly 1,300 registered farms across the state, with at least one registered in each of Ohio’s 88 counties.

This is one of many events Daniels will participate in during Ohio Agriculture Week, March 14-18, to honor local farmers and agribusinesses and the tremendous economic impact they have on the state. Ohio Agriculture Week is celebrated each March to help educate Ohioans about the importance of the state’s $105 billion food and agriculture industry, on our dinner plates and beyond.