House Ag Committee OKs Newhouse’s Bill To Preserve Fairs

On Tuesday, The House Ag Committee passed the Agricultural Fairs Rescue Act by a unanimous voice vote. House Resolution 2424 was introduced last year by Dan Newhouse, chair of the  Western Caucus, to help preserve ag fairs across the country and offset the devastating financial losses those fairs have experienced due to the pandemic. The Act will provide $500 million in grant funding for fairs via state departments of agriculture to keep those fairs functioning now and into the future.

“Fairs in Central Washington represent the best of rural America and give our communities an opportunity to come together and better understand where our food and fiber come from. Fairs also serve as an economic opportunity for many of our rural communities by supporting thousands of jobs and giving farmers a way to promote their products,” Newhouse noted. “This is a step in the right direction for the recovery of our economy, and I am hopeful that we can maintain this momentum to pass this legislation in the House and through the Senate.”

The Agricultural Fairs Rescue Act authorizes $500 million in Agricultural Fair Rescue Grants for agricultural fairs, administered by the Agricultural Marketing Service. AMS will provide the grant funding to states or state departments of agriculture based on the loss of attendance those fairs have experienced in 2020.

Click Here to read the details of HR 2424.

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