Gov. Meyer honors 250 farming families’ legacies during Governor’s Day at Delaware State Fair

Harrington, Del. – The Delaware State Fair has a long history of food, fun and celebrating all things agriculture. But for Governor’s Day this year, Governor Matt Meyer also took a moment to reflect on the histories of farming families who have been farming for even longer than than Delaware’s statehood.

Meyer said being able to honor farming families was more important than ever a farmers face increasingly difficult challenges.

“It’s humbling to stand before families who have 10, 13, 14 generations farming. But I don’t want to sugarcoat it,” he said. “The risks to agriculture, the risk to your land, the risks your grandkids and great grandkids continuing to farm this land today are greater than they’ve probably ever been in the entire, you know, centuries that your families have farmed the land.”

In an interview with WMDT, Meyer said economical challenges due to climate change and veterinary disease have adversely affected farmers.

“The threat of avian influenza and the threat of artificial intelligence and just the tremendous increases in values in land create pressures on our food system, on our grower system,” he said. “It’s important that people across the state come out to support our farm communities.”

In remarks to the families being honored, he said that his administration and state legislators are working to help support farmers and their families.

“We would do everything in our power, with everything going on in the global and local economy, to make sure we protect your lands, protect other land like yours, to make sure that Delaware agriculture can thrive,” Meyer said. “For me it’s about celebrating. So, we appreciate everything you do. We’re going to do everything we can to protect you and your families and your land for generations to come.”

Joining him was Delaware Department of Agriculture Secretary Donald Clifton, who is also from a long line of farmers dating back 100 years.

“To be 250 years, 300 years or more is, is just unbelievable,” he said.

One of the farmers, Samuel “S.R.” Smith of Hill Island Farm, said he was honored, mentioning that his grandniece will be the 10th generation in a family with roots predating the Revolutionary War.

“It’s that valuable. And it means that much to us to keep it,” he said. “You know, they always say you want to be a good steward and leave the land better than where you found it. And I feel exactly the same way. We certainly, you know, hope to preserve it. It’s just a family legacy to us.”

He said the next generation needs to feel the calling in order to face the challenges that come with farming.

“Isn’t it nice to get up in the morning and love what you do rather than get up in the morning, and you work for 50 years or something, you know, and you retire, and you hate it every day?” he said. “I grew up, I started, I loved it, you know, it’s just been a part of me.”