Micheal Clements, NAFB News Service

A bill providing support to state and county fairs is gaining momentum this week. Senator Doug Jones, an Alabama Democrat, introduced companion legislation to a House bill that would establish funds to offset revenue losses for state and county fairs. The Protecting Fairs During Coronavirus Act, introduced in the House by Representative Josh Harder, a California Democrat, would establish a $5 billion federal grant program for state and county fairs. The fund would offset fair revenue losses during the Coronavirus pandemic and would be available for both 2020 as well as 2021. States could apply for aid from the Department of Agriculture and then distribute the funds to fairs in their state. Senator Jones says, “State and county fairs are not just an important part of our social fabric, they’re also a key part of the agriculture business.” Harder stated, “Working together, we will continue pushing to get our fairs the relief they need to weather this storm.”