News

Compeer Financial supporting fairs across multiple states

County fairs across three states are receiving a boost thanks to Compeer Financial.

Karen Schieler, manager of corporate giving, says the company’s County Fair Facility Upgrade Grant Program has awarded $242,000 to 61 county fairs in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

“Upgrading hog pens, a lot of electrical updates, a lot of updates to wash racks, pavilions you know, different things, just to really help promote the health and safety of the animals, and the health and safety of the agriculturists that are showing there,” she says.

She tells Brownfield each fair organization receives up to $4,000 that can also be seen as an effort to help showcase agriculture to the public.

“You know those consumers who aren’t exposed to ag, or the only exposure they get is seeing a field or coming to the county fair and seeing those animals, that they have a really good impression of what we do and how we love and care for our animals,” she says.

Schieler says over $1.6 million has been awarded to county fairs over the program’s eight years.

This year’s recipients are:

Illinois (21)

• 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 (20)

• 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 (20)

• 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.

AUDIO: Karen Schieler – Compeer Financial