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Indiana Pork ham breakfast kicks off the 2019 Indiana State Fair

The Indiana State Fair kicks off today and it all began with the Indiana Pork Ham Breakfast.

Jeanette Merritt, director of Checkoff Programs with Indiana Pork, says it’s an opportunity to bring Indiana’s agriculture community together.

“The ham breakfast is our 50^th celebration of bringing together Indiana agriculture, celebrating pork producers, having an opportunity to see people in agriculture we maybe haven’t seen since last year’s state fair, and kicking off the state fair in a grand way,” she says.

There are three pork tents around the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Merritt says along with pork burgers and other staples, fair goers can get an Indiana Pork Barbecue Split.

“We’re taking pulled pork, macaroni and cheese, and coleslaw and putting it in a banana split boat and selling it to people,” she says. “In our pre-fair activities, it’s already been a huge hit. People have loved it and it’s been a huge hit.”

Audio: Jeanette Merritt, Indiana Pork

Indiana Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch says the Indiana State Fair is her favorite time of the year.  

“Being able to be here showcasing the best that Indiana has to offer and highlighting how important agriculture is to our economy here in Indiana is so important because agriculture and the people in it are the heart and soul of our Hoosier state,” she says. “Being able to be here and celebrate and recognize and lift up those families in agriculture is my favorite thing to do.”

Audio: Suzanne Crouch, Indiana Lieutenant Governor

This year’s state fair theme is Heroes in the Heartland.

During the opening ceremony this morning, Indiana State Fair Commission’s Cindy Hoye talked about the heroes…

“There are heroes in the field, which is represented by the Huber family today – they’re farmers from Southern Indiana with an incredible vineyard,” she says. “There are heroes that defend our freedom and our military, heroes of the badge, our first responders, heroes in the classroom, and everyday heroes.”

The Indiana State Fair runs through August 18.