Across the organization’s 144-county territory, 55 grants were awarded. The grants, which total $164,740, will touch the lives of more than 1.6 million fair organizers, participants and attendees.

“The purpose of these grants is to help make upgrades and repairs to fairgrounds and facilities so fairs can continue to bring people together to experience agriculture,” said Karen Schieler, Senior Corporate Giving Specialist. “The fair tradition plays an important role in agriculture youth development, celebrating their hard work and contributions to rural communities. And fairs in general bring our communities together each year to have fun and enjoy rural life. ”

Groups received grants of $2,750 to $3,000 each. The list below outlines grant recipients and a brief description of the projects funded:

• Alto 4-H and Farm Bureau Fair; to upgrade blacktop on fairgrounds
• Bayfield County Fair; to repair roof, fascia boards, gutters and replace trusses and rafter ends in horse barn
• Buffalo County Fair; to purchase swine, sheep and goat scale
• Burnett County Agricultural Fair; for updated lighting and safety signage in cattle barn
• Columbia County Fair Association; to construct a concrete platform with walls for manure storage
• Crawford County Meat Animal Auction; to extend the swine and sheep barn
• Dodge County Fair Association; for new roof, soffit and fascia, and updated lighting and electrical on milkhouse
• Grant County Fair; to remove old fountains and install water cooler bottle filling stations
• Green County Ag Society and Mechanics Institute; to improve electrical service in beef barn
• Jackson County Agricultural Society Inc.; for gates and pens for small animals
• Monroe County Agricultural Society; to purchase new animal scales, platforms and heads
• Ozaukee County Agricultural Society; to pave road and walkway leading to 4-H barns
• Racine County Agricultural Society Inc.; to repair and rebuild livestock wash rack
• Rock County 4-H Fair; to replace roof, repair front door and siding on 4-H Fair Museum
• Sheboygan County Fair Association; to replace concrete aisles in livestock buildings
• St. Croix County Fair Inc.; for updated lighting in judging arena
• Vernon County Agricultural Society Inc.; for new rabbit cages
• Washburn County Junior Fair Association; to replace signs on buildings and entrance
• Winnebago County Fair Association; to purchase gates for beef barn, signs for fairgrounds and to restore entrance archway

Since the program began, a total of $344,740 has been awarded to 119 fairs, touching the lives of more than 3.5 million fairgoers and participants. The Compeer Financial Fund for Rural America will offer this program again in March 2020.

About the Fund for Rural America

The Compeer Financial Fund for Rural America is the corporate giving program of Compeer Financial, structured to support Compeer Financial’s mission to enrich agriculture and rural America. Compeer Financial’s Board of Directors has dedicated one percent of annual net earnings to support the Fund’s focus areas of education, youth engagement, rural development, community enrichment, agricultural advocacy and development, and cooperative initiatives. The fund is managed by a Board of Trustees, made up of team members from Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin and members of the Compeer Financial Board of Directors. More information about opportunities available through the fund can be found at Compeer.com/giving-back .

About Compeer Financial

Compeer Financial is a member-owned Farm Credit cooperative serving and supporting agriculture and rural communities. The $21.0 billion organization provides loans, leases, risk management and other financial services throughout 144 counties in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Based in the Upper Midwest, Compeer Financial exists to champion the hopes and dreams of rural America, while providing personalized service and expertise to clients and the agriculture industry.

Compeer Financial is the third largest cooperative of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of lending institutions supporting agriculture and rural communities with reliable, consistent credit and financial services. Learn more about Compeer Financial.