ASHLAND, Ohio — The Ashland County Junior Fair Board is planning for the annual Stock the Trailer Drive, a statewide competition that collect’s food donations for shelters and food banks across Ohio.
The Ashland County Junior Fair Board will start collecting items for Stock the Trailer on Aug. 23 and Aug. 24 during its 4-H Super Judging event at the Ashland County Fairgrounds. It will continue accepting items at various events and through local business until the week of the Ashland County Fair from Sept. 14-20. At the fair, non-perishable food items and monetary donations will be accepted at the entrances and at the trailer beside the 4-H Dairy Bar. Livestock buyers will also have the chance to contribute to the Stock the Trailer collection, with details to be released soon.
Donated items must not expire in the year 2025 and may include cases of water, canned food, pasta sauce, peanut butter, pasta and other non-perishable items.
The event, presented by Farm Credit Mid-America and sponsored by Rural 1st, gives monetary prizes to the county that collect the most pounds of food in each region.
The first place prize is $5,000, second place wins $3,500 and the third-place county receives $1,500. Participating counties also receive $500, which goes toward their junior fair board.
This year, the Ashland County Junior Fair Board will partner with Associated Charities to best serve the needs of the county’s communities.
Last year, the Ashland County Junior Fair Board placed second in their region and ninth in the state with 10,080 pounds collected. In 2024, 66 counties participated, collecting 286,327 pounds of food.
