DOVER, Del. (March 21, 2024) – Governor Carney, Secretary of Agriculture Scuse, and state legislators inducted three Delaware farm families into the Century Farm Program, honoring them for their commitment to keeping farmland within the family for 100 years.

“Agriculture has long been Delaware’s number one industry. Family farms built our state; in fact, there are 18 farms still in operation that are older than Delaware,” said Governor Carney. “I’m honored to be a part of this event recognizing the committed work of these three family farms who have been a part of our state’s history for 100 years.”

The Delaware Century Farm Program was established in 1987 to honor farm families who have owned and farmed their land for at least 100 years. The farms must include at least 10 acres of the original parcel or gross more than $10,000 annually in agricultural sales.

With the announcement of these three new families, Delaware will have recognized 155 Century Farms over the past 37 years. Delaware Century Farm families receive a sign for their farms, an engraved plate, a certificate, and legislative tributes.

Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse also took the opportunity to announce a new program related to long-term ownership of family farms.

“The family farm is at the heart of our number one industry – feeding Delawareans, Americans, and citizens worldwide. We want to ensure we recognize not only those farms that have been in production for 100 years but also the 24 farms that have already received this award and have kept the farm in the family for 200 years or more,” said Secretary Scuse. “The Delaware Department of Agriculture has created a new ‘Multi-Century Farm Award’ to highlight these farms, including a new lane sign denoting this achievement.”

2024 Delaware Century Farm Awardees:

R & C Evans Farm L.P. (Harrington, Kent County): The Evans family is recognized for their 60-acre family farm located in Milford Hundred.

Mr. William Biggs, our great-grandfather, purchased the original 64 acres from Jacob Pleasonton on January 9, 1917. On January 18, 1922, he purchased 22 more acres from Mr. Pleasonton, called “Potter Land.” William laid down with his infant great-grandson, David, to nap and never awoke; in turn, the farm was passed down to David’s grandmother, Hazel Biggs Davis, on November 21, 1970. On February 1, 1990, Carolyn Davis Evans and her husband, Reginald Evans, purchased the farm from her parents. For estate planning purposes, on October 31, 2005, the farm became known as R & C Evans Farm. Carolyn lived on the farm until her passing on July 4, 2021, and Reginald lived there until he passed on December 26, 2023.

The farm remains in the family, where they raise grain crops on 60 acres of farmland. While times have changed from when William Biggs tilled the land behind a mule to today’s technology, the same dinner bell remains on the pole that called generations of family members in to eat around the family table. David’s sister remembers watching Al Johnson flying his bi-wing crop duster over the farm and waggling his wings to say hello. They both look to keep the farm in the family for future generations.

Picture (L to R): David Evans, Linda Samulevich, and Heather Evans accepted the Century Farm Award posthumously for Carolyn and Reginald Evans.

Fleetwood Family Farm (Laurel, Sussex County): The Fleetwood family was honored with the Century Farm Award for their 35-acre farm in Broad Creek Hundred.

Earl C. Fleetwood and his wife, Blanche, purchased the original 55-acre farm from Robert T. and Nancy J. Spicer on November 17, 1920, for $2,500. The farm was bequeathed to his son, Roland V. Fleetwood, when Earl died in June 1978. Roland and his wife, E. Jean Fleetwood, are the current owners of the farm.

The family currently farms 35 acres; the property still has the original farmhouse built in 1845. Additional farm buildings included a chicken house built in 1961, a garage in 1965, and a shed in 1980. Over the years, the family has raised corn, beans, strawberries, melons, tomatoes, and poultry.

Picture (L to R): Todd Fleetwood, son; R.T. Fleetwood, grandson; and Roland Fleetwood accepted the Century Farm Award.

Warnick Family Farm (Greenwood, Sussex County): Valerie Warnick was presented with the Century Farm Award for their family farm located in Nanticoke Hundred.

The original farm was purchased by Gideon E. Hershberger and his wife, Susanna on September 1, 1914, from Josiah B. Hostedler. After Gideon passed away, Susanna took on the farm and left it in her will to her nieces and nephews, Dwight, Archibald, Leota, and Walter Warnick in 1941. On January 24, 1944, the farm was purchased by Dwight and Sue Warnick. While Sue passed away on October 17, 1956, Dwight continued to farm the land until he was 85 and then rented the land to two local farmers until he died on April 8, 2011. He was 102 years old. Dwight left the farm to his children, Mary Kathryn Warnick and Donald L. Warnick. Mary Kathryn lived on the farm until October 2011. The farm was purchased on June 19, 2015, by Edward C. Warnick and his wife Valerie. In January 2022, Edward passed on, leaving the farm to Valerie. They have three children, Ashley, Blake, and Wade.

The family still uses the original farmhouse. Over the years, the Warnick Family has grown corn, soybeans, wheat, and rye. They also grew chickens for many years; at some point, family members had dairy cows, beef cattle, and pigs.

Picture (L to R): Evelyn Shahan, Blake, Natalie, and Stephanie Warnick, Ashley Warnick Heuchling, Valerie Warnick, Logan, Ava, and Zane, Mary Kathryn Warnick, Samantha, Wade, and Kylie Warnick, and Jean Warnick Kenton and Harvey Kenton were present to support Valerie in receiving the Delaware Century Farm Award.

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DOVER, Del. (January 26, 2023) – Every five years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) surveys every agricultural producer across the country and in Puerto Rico to obtain a complete account of the industry, its changes, and emerging trends. Less than 25 percent of Delaware producers have responded to the 2022 Ag Census, which could jeopardize farm policy and decision-making about disaster relief, community planning, technology development, and more.

“We know from the 2017 Ag Census that more than half of Delaware’s farms are smaller than 50 acres. This is important to know when Delawareans are trying to decide if they should participate in the 2022 Ag Census because our agriculture industry is evolving to include more small-scale farms,” said Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse. “We want all producers to respond, including those in rural communities and those involved in urban agriculture. Whether you grow crops or nursery stock, are a beekeeper, or raise livestock or poultry, your participation helps tell the story of Delaware agriculture.”

Farm operations of all sizes which produced and sold, or typically would have sold, $1,000 or more of agricultural products in 2022 are included in the Ag Census.

Producers received a survey code with an invitation to respond online at agcounts.usda.gov in November. Anyone who did not respond before should complete their survey online or submit it by mail no later than February 6. Everyone who received the 2022 Census of Agriculture questionnaire is required to return it, even if they are not currently farming. The first few qualifying questions on the form will determine whether completing the entire questionnaire is necessary.

Responding to the Census of Agriculture is required under Title 7 USC 2204(g) Public Law 105-113. The same law requires NASS to keep all information confidential, use the data only for statistical purposes, and publish in aggregate form to prevent disclosing the identity of any individual producer or farm operation. NASS will release the results of the Ag Census in 2024.

To learn more about the Census of Agriculture, visit https://nass.usda.gov/agcensus.

DOVER, Del. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Delaware office today announced the results of the 2017 Census of Agriculture with new information about 2,302 Delaware farms and ranches and those who operate them, including first-time data about on-farm decision making, at the state and county level.

“Agriculture continues to play an important role in Delaware’s economy. I want to thank all of our family farmers who took the time to participate in the 2017 U.S. Census of Agriculture,” said Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse. “The information our farmers provided in the Census will help local and federal legislators, businesses, and others make informed decisions, especially on federal programs, that will directly impact our farms.”

Census data provide valuable insights into demographics, economics, land and activities on U.S. farms and ranches. Some key state highlights include:

• The average age of all producers (a person involved in making decisions for the farm operation) was 57.4 years of age.
• The number of female producers increased by nearly 12 percent from 2012.
• The per farm average net income increased from $130,842 in 2012 to $277,316 in 2017.

The new Census data also shows that agriculture remains Delaware’s largest single land use, with 42 percent of Delaware’s land (or 525,324 acres) in farms, up from 508,652 acres in 2012. Poultry production ranked first in the state for market value of agricultural products sold with more than $1.1 billion, with grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas; vegetables, melons, potatoes, and sweet potatoes; nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod; and milk from cows rounding out the top five commodity areas.

“The Census shows new data that can be compared to previous censuses for insights into agricultural trends and changes down to the county level,” said NASS Administrator Hubert Hamer. “We are pleased to share first-time data on topics such as military status and on-farm decision making. To make it easier to delve into the data, we are pleased to make the results available in many online formats including a new data query interface, as well as traditional data tables.”

For the 2017 Census of Agriculture, NASS changed the demographic questions to better represent the roles of all persons involved in on-farm decision making. As a result, in 2017 the number of all producers in Delaware was 3,907 up from 3,789 producers in 2012.

Other demographic highlights include:

• New and beginning producers with 10 years or less of farming comprised of 851 producers.
• Published for the first time, producers with military service encompassed 390 producers.

The Census tells the story of American agriculture and is an important part of our history. First conducted in 1840 in conjunction with the decennial Census, the Census of Agriculture accounts for all U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. After 1920, the Ag Census happened every four to five years. By 1982, it was regularly conducted once every five years. Today, NASS sends questionnaires to nearly 3 million potential U.S. farms and ranches. Nearly 25 percent of those who responded did so online. Conducted since 1997 by USDA NASS – the federal statistical agency responsible for producing official data about U.S. agriculture – it remains the only source of comprehensive agricultural data for every state and county in the nation and is invaluable for planning the future.

Results are available in many online formats including video presentations, a new data query interface, maps, and traditional data tables. All Census of Agriculture information is available at www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus.

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Media Contact: Stacey Hofmann, (302) 698-4542, Stacey.Hofmann@delaware.gov

Dover, Del. – Delaware farmers, between 18 and 40 years old have the opportunity to apply for the Young Farmers Loan Program through October 31. The program provides long-term, no-interest loans to help eligible farmers purchase land, reducing the financial impact on farmers just starting out or looking to expand.

“This year was extremely important legislatively because the AgLands Preservation Program was funded for the full ten million dollars,” said Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse. “Not only will this help increase the percentage of farmland preserved, but it will guarantee that there is a future in Delaware agriculture for a younger generation. The Young Farmers Loan Program is a powerful commitment to young people entering agriculture that Delaware stands behind them, and supports their goals and aspirations.”

Applicants must have at least three years of farming experience, and their net worth must not exceed $300,000. Eligible farms must contain at least 15 acres of cropland and must not be enrolled in a conservation easement at the time of purchase. The 30-year, no interest loans may fund up to 70 percent of the value of a property’s development rights, defined as the difference between full market value and agricultural value, up to a maximum of $500,000.

Delaware’s Young Farmers Loan Program began in 2011 to help lower barriers to young people wanting to get started in farming. Thirty-three farmers have purchased land so far in all three counties, totaling 2,517 acres of farmland using $7.4 million in loans. That includes both individual farmers and couples, all seeking to purchase new land or expand their existing farms. Land purchased through the program is permanently preserved through the Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation.

Interested applicants can visit the Department of Agriculture website, agriculture.delaware.gov, for an information and application packet, or contact Deputy Secretary Austin Short at 302-698-4500 or austin.short@delaware.gov.

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Media Contact: Stacey Hofmann, 302-698-4542, Stacey.Hofmann@delaware.gov

TOWNSEND – Norman and Gwen Pierce, owners of Union Ridge Farms near Townsend, are the recipients of the New Castle Conservation District’s Cooperator of the Year Award, presented annually to a farmer in the district who has exhibited a high degree of interest in conservation for their farm operation. The Pierces, who are Delaware natives, have implemented a conservation plan that addresses concerns with soil, water, air, plants and animal resources, and have addressed those resource concerns through technical and financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the New Castle Conservation District.

The Pierces have a farm background but did not begin their current enterprise of raising Boer goats until 2006. They raise approximately 30 animals per year on their five-acre operation. Some of the does are sold for meat while others are sold as breeding stock or to become show goats. The goats have two breeding cycles per year and usually have twins and triplets. They reach 65-70 pounds within four to five months. Besides rearing goats, the Pierces also raise rabbits and bobwhite quail.

To improve their farming operation, the Pierces asked for assistance from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the New Castle Conservation District. To improve overall drainage on the property, an existing ditch was redone and a new culvert pipe installed. Existing pastures were rejuvenated using a combination of warm and cool season grasses and milk vetch to provide for both grazing and hay production. The milk vetch will continue to grow through the winter months.

A rotational grazing program also was put into place with new fencing and two animal watering devices to make water accessible from Union Ridge Farms’ four pastures. The goats are rotated through the four pastures every 10-20 days. This gives the first pasture 30-60 days to rest and recover. Since installing these conservation practices in the fall of 2013, the Pierces have seen a great improvement in their operation, pasture quality and animal health. Beyond help the Pierces have gotten from NCCD and USDA, the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension Service has also provided invaluable assistance and advice for their farming operation.

The Pierces have hosted two goat seminars at their farm and two at the Southern States farm store in Middletown. They are also involved in a de-wormer study being conducted by Delaware State University based on pumpkin seed – trying to find natural methods to de-worm the goats. Ultimately, the Pierces would like to add more acreage to their farm to increase the number of goats they can raise.

The Pierces were also recently honored as minority farmers of the year in Delaware by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service with a featured article in Minority Farmer magazine.

Media Contacts: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902, or Rick Mickowski, New Castle Conservation District, at 302-832-3100 ext. 113.

Vol. 45, No. 190