All 94 Ohio County and Independent Fairs to Receive $50,000

Governor DeWine Signs Senate Bill 109 into Law

Governor Mike DeWine today signed Senate Bill 109 into law, providing the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) $4.7 million in grant funding to distribute evenly to all 94 county and independent agricultural societies. As a result, ODA will be allocating $50,000 to each agricultural society to be used on their operating expenses, projects, or any other items related directly to the fair.

“Ohio’s fairs not only provide us fond memories of our childhood, they are also important to our local communities and provide a valuable forum for the next generation of responsible food producers,” said Dorothy Pelanda, Director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture. “We sincerely thank Governor DeWine and the General Assembly for this generous support of our fairs that have lost significant revenue and have struggled over the past year. It is my hope that this funding can help breathe new life into our fairs as they move toward a successful 2021 season.”

All fairs are expected to receive funding within the next four weeks. There are no application, reporting, or project close out requirements associated with this funding.