ODA waives match requirements for fair grant program

The Ohio Department of Agriculture eased the financial burden of caring for fairgrounds in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dorothy Pelanda, director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, waived the required $50,000 match required of fairs to receive a $50,000 grant from the state’s Agricultural Society Facilities Grant Program.

Gov. Mike DeWine announced the waiver during his daily press conference April 21.

There is $4.7 million available through the program to make necessary facilities and grounds improvements at fairgrounds.

“While it is uncertain whether fairs will be able to safely operate this year, they still have facilities expenses,” Pelanda said in a statement. 

The Ohio Fair Managers Association put out a statement April 8 saying as of that date, none of Ohio’s agricultural fairs had been canceled. 

Fair managers have until May 30 to apply for the grant money.