WATERLOO -- Four Black Hawk County farms recently were recognized by the state for 100 years of family ownership, including one that could disappear to make room for a proposed coal-fired power plant.

Merle Bell received a Century Farm designation for his 36 acres at 1644 Merle Road just northeast of Waterloo. However, LS Power owns an option to buy the property for a proposed $1.5 billion, 750-megawatt electric plant. The farm is part of 350 acres annexed by Waterloo, of which 260 were rezoned from agricultural to planned industrial.

The Century Farms Program ceremony took place Aug. 12 at the Iowa State Fair. Bell didn't attend, officials said, but the other county designees did. They include the following:

Bernard Becker, 745 Tesler Road, Jesup.

Doug and Janet Reiter, 8222 Poyner Road, Jesup.

Harlan and Charlotte Witry, 10524 Beck Road, Waterloo.

The program started in 1976 by the state and Iowa Farm Bureau to acknowledge the deep roots Iowans share with the land, according to Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey. While the Spirit Lake farmer doesn't like to see farms sold and taken out of production, he said sometimes it's inevitable.

"It's hard, but it happens," Northey said. "Families try to hold on to farms … (but) things change."

For Bell, that occurred four years ago when LS officials started to purchase real estate options around his farm. At the time, Bell said his wife was in ill-health and he reluctantly accepted the offer because she didn't want to live near the plant.

His wife died less than a year later, and Bell become a plant opponent. Bell was unavailable for comment.

However, in a previous Courier article, Bell expressed sincere love for the land his ancestors bought in 1879. It supports an apple orchard and row crops.

"You can see I've got a utopia here," Bell said almost a year ago during a rally against the facility at his farm. "It chokes me up that all you people (more than 500) would come out here and help me."

In January, Bell agreed to an extension of the sale option when LS Power said they would buy the property if he didn't agree.

Don Shatzer, a board member with Community Energy Solutions, said the group will continue to fight to keep Bell on his farm and the power plant out. He doesn't think the Century Farm designation will help.

"I don't know if the public understands the significance (of a century farm) anymore," Shatzer said.

LS Power spokesman Mark Milburn didn't return a phone call for comment.

State officials said Bell applied for the recognition, which must be received by the beginning of June. An exact date received wasn't available

This year 344 farms were recognized. Since the program's inception, more than 16,200 farms across the state have received the designation.

Becker is proud of the certificate he received at the state fair, along with the yard sign that now shows passers-by that his family has worked the land for more than a 100 years.

The retired farmer said his grandfather bought the 160-acre farm in 1892, which he and his brothers now own. Becker's son, David, now rents the land to raise corn and soybeans.

Given the average price for an acre of farmland in the county -- $5,083, according to the latest Iowa State University Land Values Survey -- he said the pressure to sell can be great. Becker said it makes him feel good that hasn't happened to his family yet, and he hopes it never will.

"A lot of times of times farms don't stay (in families) that long," he said. "I hope one of these days David will own it."

Northey said the awards ceremony is one of his favorite events of the year. When listening to stories about farms, Northey said he can sense the pride people feel.

They remember walks on the farm, or putting in a waterway with their grandpa, he said.

"Farms are like a family member," Northey said. "It's not just about the land, but more of a connection with the land."

Contact Matthew Wilde

at (319) 291-1579

or matt.wilde@wcfcourier.com.