FRANKFORT, Ky. — Five Kentucky county fairs boards were awarded almost $500,000 from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) for new construction projects, Agriculture Commissioner Dr. Ryan Quarles has announced.
“County fairs are at the heart of our agriculture communities. Each year I get the unique honor of announcing grants to local county fair boards for infrastructure improvements,” Commissioner Quarles said. “These grants allow county fair boards to enhance the environment of livestock shows, and other events when the time comes.”
The amount and the recipient of each grant include:
- Adair County – $92,325 for a new restroom building;
- Bourbon County – $100,000 for the demolition of an old barn and the construction of a new livestock pavilion;
- Marion County – $100,000 for the demolition of an old building and construction of a new building to house restrooms, a concession stand and an office area;
- Western Kentucky State Fair (Christian County) – $100,000 for the construction of a livestock barn; and
- Whitley County – $100,000 for the construction of a horse ring shelter.
Any incorporated fair board in Kentucky may apply with the State Aid to Local Agricultural Fairs Program for grants in the amount of $10,000-$100,000. Each grant will fund 75 percent of the total cost of the project, with the local fair board matching the other 25 percent. Each project must be started within 90 days of the date the project was awarded and must be completed within nine months.
Grants may be used for infrastructure or facility improvements, capital construction, or purchase of non-permanent tangible items such as bleachers or restaurant equipment.
Applications must be submitted to the KDA’s Shows and Fairs Division and postmarked no later than Oct. 1 of each year. The Kentucky County Fair Council reviews the applications and selects the winning proposals.
For more information about the State Aid to Local Agricultural Fairs Program, go to kyagr.com/marketing/county-fair-program.html.
— Kentucky Department of Agriculture
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