The Department of Agriculture this week celebrated "200 Years of Progress" in the agricultural industry by designating the William and Catherine Shirk Farm in East Earl, Lancaster County as its Bicentennial Farm of the year.

Beginning in July 2004, the Department of Agriculture began to accept applications for the Bicentennial Farm Program. Since then, more than 40 farm families have applied for the program. To qualify for the Bicentennial Farm Program, applicants must meet the following criteria:

-- The farm must be owned by the same family for at least 200 consecutive years.

-- A family member must live on the farm on a permanent basis.

-- The farm must consist of at least 10 acres of the original holding, or gross more than $1,000 annually from the sale of farm products.

The Department also recognizes the more than 1,300 farm families who have been farming the same land for 100 years through the Century Farm Program. If they currently meet the requirements and have remained in the same family, more than 250 of those farms may be eligible for the Bicentennial Farm Program.

William and Catherine Shirk own a 66-acre farm in East Earl Township, Lancaster County. Ancestors of the Shirk family originally purchased the farm on February 6, 1758. In April 2001, 65.45 acres of the Shirk's land were preserved through a state easement.

12/3/2004