COLUMBUS, Ohio — On Thursday, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine made an announcement regarding junior, county and independent fairs during the pandemic. Many fairs have been canceled already, but with some still planning on occurring, a state task force was assembled to determine the best way for those to still happen safely.
On Twitter, DeWine emphasized the importance of kids being able to participate in livestock shows and other activities. In particular, the hope was that 4-H and FFA would be able to allowed at junior fairs.
Fair boards will be required to work with local health departments to meet guidelines for shows to happen.
Those guidelines have been released on the ohio.coronavirus.gov website, focusing on:
- Social distancing
- Limiting crowds
- Ensuring the health of those involved
- Animal care and welfare
Decisions regarding county and independent fairs will need to be made locally due to the uniqueness of each event and differing financial situations and fair layouts. Additionally, all fair boards must follow the same guidelines as other sectors, like in food service and for rides.
DeWine also acknowledged that conditions may change over the summer.
The Ohio Department of Agriculture is currently working on distributing state funding to be available to all 94 county and independent fairs.
