1 May 2025

6 minute read

By: Global Ag Media

North America

For the eighth year, Compeer Financial is helping county fairs across the Upper Midwest improve facilities and attendee experiences through its Fund for Rural America, the Farm Credit cooperative’s giving program. This year’s County Fair Facility Upgrade Grants, totaling $242,000, are being distributed to 61 county fairs for a wide range of repairs and upgrades.

"County fairs are a summer highlight for families involved in agriculture and living in rural communities," said Karen Schieler, manager of corporate giving at Compeer Financial. "These grants help fair organizers enhance the experience for exhibitors and visitors by funding essential updates to buildings and grounds. Fair organizers work tirelessly to ensure a positive, memorable event each year, and we’re proud to support their efforts."

County fairs are rural staples in bringing together people of all ages to learn about and experience agriculture up close. Last year’s fairs saw an average attendance of 42,298. Compeer Financial designated the County Fair Facility Upgrade Grant Program to uplift the rural communities it serves. The grant program is a critical tool that enables organizers to continue offering the best possible experience to fair-goers by funding upgrades and repairs of fairground livestock buildings, 4-H buildings and livestock judging arenas. Recipients receive up to $4,000 for their project.

With applicants reporting the average age of their fairground buildings as 45 years old, this year’s funding supports critical initiatives focused on enhancing safety, functionality and the experience for animals, exhibitors and visitors. By modernizing electrical and lighting and enhancing safety and hygiene, fair organizers will foster a welcoming and professional environment that enhances the overall experience and helps attract more exhibitors and attendees. Of this year’s funded projects:

• 35 percent are for upgrades to building structures
• 30 percent are for electrical or ventilation upgrades
• 20 percent are for new livestock gates/pens to accommodate increasing numbers of exhibitors
• 15 percent are for miscellaneous updates

Since its establishment in 2018, the Fund has awarded 483 County Fair Facility Upgrade Grants for a total impact of more than $1.6 million that has improved the experiences of fair organizers, participants and attendees. The grant will open for 2026 applications in March 2026.

The 61 organizations across the Compeer Financial territory earning a County Fair Facility Upgrade Grant include:

Illinois

• Adams County Fair Association: Painting and replacing lighting in the show barn, doors on the show barn, and rabbit cages.
• Boone County Fair Association: Cementing the poultry barn.
• Brown County Fair Association: Gates for the livestock barns, and painting barns and the wash rack.
• Carroll County Fair Association: Painting and reinforcing the roof, replacing fascia on the beef livestock building, and painting the milk house.
• Fulton County Fair and Horseracing Association: Upgrading and repairing electrical in the livestock barns, expanding the horse arena, and repairing livestock pens.
• Grundy County Agricultural District Fair: Concrete and hog pens.
• Kane County Fair: Replacing the show arena roof.
• LaSalle County Junior Fair Board Association: Electrical upgrades for the fairgrounds, barns and show barn.
• Lee County Fair Association: Replacing doors and openers in the commercial exhibit building.
• Marshall-Putnam Fair Association: New rollup doors on the poultry and rabbit building.
• McDonough County 4-H Buildings and Grounds: Wash rack updates and gates in the swine and sheep barn.
• McHenry County Fair Association: Installing tile around the livestock show pavilion.
• New Windsor Fair, Rodeo and Horse Show Association: Replacing concrete for restrooms and upgrading electrical service to the vendor area.
• Ogle County Fair Association: Replacing the walkway and drive chip seal.
• Heart of Illinois Fair: Electrical updates for the vendor building.
• Pike County Fair Association: Bleachers and hog panels.
• Schuyler County Fair: Lime, electrical upgrades and sunshades in the livestock barns.
• Stark County Jr Fair, Inc.: Gates for the indoor livestock arena.
• Will County Fair Association: Replacing posts and plywood in the horse barn.
• Winnebago County Fair Association: Replacing electrical wiring and outlets in the sheep barn.
• Woodford County Farm Bureau: New gable ends in the beef barn.

Minnesota

• Aitkin County Fair: Gates and pens for sheep, pig, goat and livestock exhibits.
• Blue Earth County Fair Association: Installing netting around the poultry barn eaves, improving lighting in the judging arena, and enhancing seating for livestock shows.
• Carver County Agricultural Society dba Carver County Fair: New siding, replacing the order window, and stainless-steel countertops for the 4-H food stand.
• Cass County Agricultural Association-Pine River: Cement and LED lights in the goat barn, sand for the horse stalls, and 4-H food stand upgrades.
• Crow Wing County Fair Association: Roll up curtains for the livestock arena.
• Dakota County Agricultural Society, Inc.: Electrical and lighting updates for the sheep and cattle barns.
• Dodge County Agricultural & Mechanical Society: Pens for goat, sheep and pig livestock projects.
• Goodhue County Agricultural Society and Mechanics Institute: A new livestock wash rack.
• Houston County Fair/Houston County Ag Society: Foundation cement for the 4-H building.
• Martin County Fair: Electrical outlets in the horse barn.
• Mille Lacs County Fair: An addition to the rabbit and poultry barn.
• Nicollet County Ag Society: A milk pump, bulk tank and compressor, and milling units.
• Pipestone County Fair: LED lights in the sheep and goat barn.
• Scott County Agricultural Society: Lighting improvements in the 4-H building.
• Sibley County Agricultural Association: Concrete in the 4-H exhibit building and the sheep building.
• Stearns County Fair Association: Installing fans in the Heritage Barn.
• Steele County Agricultural Society: Upgrading horse stalls.
• Waseca County Free Fair: Upgrading the lighting in the horse barn.
• Washington County Agricultural Society: Improvements for the horse warm up arena.
• Winona County Fair: Improvements to the livestock arena restrooms.

Wisconsin

• Barron County Fair: A sound system and cooling fan in the show ring area.
• Bayfield County Fair: Electrical upgrades, replacing boards and painting in the beef barn.
• Burnett County Agricultural Society Fair: Replacing part of the main livestock and cattle barn roof.
• Northern Wisconsin State Fair Association, Inc.: Tie stalls in the cattle barn.
• Columbia County Fair: Electrical updates for the fairgrounds.
• Head of the Lakes Fair: Upgrading the lighting in the horse barn.
• Dunn County Fair: Repairing pens, updating the wash rack, and repairing walls in the swine barn.
• Grant County Fair: Fencing for the dairy barn.
• Iowa County Fair Society: Repairing bleachers.
• Jackson County Agricultural Society: Electrical updates for the livestock barn.
• Jefferson County Fair Park: Pens for the goat barn.
• La Crosse County Agricultural Society: Upgrading the lighting and electrical in the horse show arena.
• Lafayette County Fair: Roofing, siding and doors in the 4-H building.
• Marquette County Youth Organizations Association: Pens for the small animal livestock barn.
• Monroe County Agricultural Society: Cement for the swine barn wash pen area, manure pit and building posts.
• Rock Country 4-H Fair: Pens and ventilation equipment upgrades in the rabbit and poultry barns.
• St. Croix County Fair, Inc.: Concrete in the multispecies livestock building.
• Sheboygan County 4-H Horse and Pony Project: Updating the wash rack and fixing stall doors and sliding doors in the horse area.
• Vernon County Fair/Vernon County Ag Society: Updating the electrical service in the swine, beef, sheep and poultry barns.
• Walworth County Fair Sheep Committee: A new wash rack for the sheep barn.