[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4717 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4717

   To require the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a program to 
 recognize farms that have been in continuous operation for 100 years.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 21, 2017

 Mr. Crawford (for himself, Mr. Nolan, Mr. Westerman, Mr. Womack, and 
  Mr. Hill) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                        Committee on Agriculture

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                                 A BILL


 
   To require the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a program to 
 recognize farms that have been in continuous operation for 100 years.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Century Farms Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) the United States has a long history of farming and has 
        historically appreciated the invaluable contribution of farming 
        to domestic and global populations;
            (2) family farms represent 97 percent of all farms in the 
        United States, of which 90 percent are small family farms;
            (3) over 30 States have established Century or Centennial 
        Farm designations and awards; and
            (4) agricultural producers perform a vital public service 
        that should be recognized and rewarded.

SEC. 3. CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM.

    The Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this section as the 
``Secretary'') shall establish a program under which the Secretary 
recognizes any farm that--
            (1) a State department of agriculture or similar statewide 
        agricultural organization recognizes as a Century Farm; or
            (2)(A) is defined as a farm or ranch under section 4284.902 
        of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the 
        date of enactment of this Act);
            (B) has been in continuous operation for at least 100 
        years; and
            (C) has been owned by the same family for at least 100 
        consecutive years, as verified through deeds, wills, abstracts, 
        tax statements, or other similar legal documents considered 
        appropriate by the Secretary.
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