After two years away, the Bureau County Ag Fair returns to the fairgrounds

In an effort to demonstrate to all the fourth graders in Bureau County the importance of agriculture in their lives, the Bureau County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee held its 26th annual Ag Fair on March 17 after a two-year break because of pandemic measures.

The Ag Fair was a daylong event at the Bureau County Fairgrounds during which students made timed stops to 14 different learning centers. These stations included dairy, embryology, safety, pork, corn, seed science, conservation, beef, soybeans, pollinators, ag technology, equipment, large animals and small animals.

The Farm Bureau Women’s Committee and the Bureau County Ag Coalition Committee originally started the Ag Fair more than 25 years ago.

The Ag Coalition Committee comprises a member from each participating Ag Fair station. This committee originally was formed to develop and oversee the goals set for the Ag Fair.

Over time, the Ag Coalition Committee has handed the organizing process over to the Women’s Committee, where the chairperson takes the lead on final decision-making. The Ag Coalition members then handle the planning of their individual presentations.

Each year, the Ag Fair is evaluated, and any considerations for changes come through observation of the event, teacher’s input from evaluation sheets and suggestions made by volunteers.

The committee begins the planning process about six months in advance of the Ag Fair each year. The committee works with local businesses, farmers, county commodity groups, the University of Illinois Extension, the local FS and SWCD, as well as state commodity groups, to make presentations at each station.

A total of 75 volunteers are recruited to serve as presenters, leaders of the classes, timekeepers, bus directors, goodie bag distributors and several other jobs, including setup and cleanup.

The day before the fair, the presenters take time to set up their displays, and the setup crew puts up tables, chairs and partitions at each station. On the day of the fair, coffee, juice, doughnuts, lunch and snacks are provided by the Farm Bureau and served to all the presenters and volunteers.

After the Ag Fair, each student was given a bag of goodies that the committee put together, including items donated by each of the presenters such as coloring books, balloons and pencils.

The teachers were given an evaluation that will assist not only the committee but also the presenters next year. As a follow-up, the committee is sponsoring a thank-you card drive for all volunteers for the event. Students are encouraged to draw about their favorite part of the educational event.

A teacher attending a past Ag Fair summed up the event: “Ag Fair is the best-kept secret in Bureau County.”

This year about 300 students from 18 classrooms attended the Ag Fair.