AG Outlook 9-28-2020

In many places state and county fairs vanished this year as COVID-19 swept the country. There’s a bill in Congress which promises help to these longtime institutions and it appears to be gaining some traction. The ‘Protecting Fairs During Coronavirus Act’ would establish a $5 billion federal grant program. It is designed to offset fair revenue losses during the pandemic and would be available through next year. If enacted, states would be allowed to apply for aid from USDA and then distribute the money to fairs. Senate sponsor of the measure Doug Jones of Alabama says the annual gatherings are ‘a key part of the agriculture business as well as an important part of our social fabric.’