Seventy-three families from around the state, one from each participating county, have been named a “2009 Farm Family of the Year” by the University of Minnesota.

The families will be officially recognized in a ceremony Thursday at the annual Farmfest near Redwood Falls, Minn.

“The University of Minnesota is proud to recognize these farm families for their contribution to agriculture and their communities,” said Bev Durgan, dean of University of Minnesota Extension. “There is no standard definition of a Minnesota family farm. The one factor they all have in common is that the families work together to make their farm successful. That farm family work ethic is the major contributor to the success of Minnesota communities and Minnesota’s agriculture.”

Families receiving honors were selected by their local county Extension committees and have demonstrated a commitment to enhancing and supporting agriculture and agriculture production.

Local honorees include:

Dodge County — Zumbro Ridge Farms (Dough and Tina Suhr), Kasson

Freeborn County — Chris and Holly Dahl, Albert Lea

Mower County — Evergreen Farms (John and Soly Akkerman), Austin

Olmsted County — Gene and DeeDee Hart and family, Byron

Steele County — Schroht Family Farm, Owatonna