Two Greene County farm families were honored through the Missouri Century Farms Program during the Greene County Farm Bureau Annual Dinner on Sept. 28, recognizing more than a century of continuous family ownership and agricultural production.
The Jack Beal family and the Thomas Kissee family were recognized as Greene County's 2026 Missouri Century Farms Program inductees, according to a community announcement. The event, hosted by the Greene County Farm Bureau at Sac River Cowboy Church, included a meal served by Republic FFA and recognition of the designated Century Farm families.
The Beal family's farm traces its history to 1919, when Jack Beal purchased the original 64-acre property on West Farm Road 64. Several family members accepted the recognition
on behalf of the family during the dinner.
Family members continue to live on and operate the original farm, which remains a cow-calf operation. The family also continues a long-standing tradition of producing its own hay.
The Kissee family's farm, at 2659 S. Laurel Lane in Springfield, was originally purchased in 1923 by J. Sam Williams and Pearl D. Williams. The operation began as a dairy farm and is now a cow-calf operation.
Missouri Century Farms program
Missouri's Century Farm project began in 1976 to recognize farms that have remained in the same family for at least 100 years.
University of Missouri Extension and the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources established the annual Missouri Century Farms Program in 1986. Missouri Farm Bureau became a co-sponsor in 2008.
Since the program's inception, more than 8,000 Missouri farms have received the Century Farm designation.
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This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: 2 Greene County families earn Missouri Century Farm honors
