The Wisconsin State Fair is the largest event in the state, welcoming over one million visitors in 2019. With that being said, many agricultural organizations use the state fair as a way to interact with consumers face-to-face and raise dollars to support their mission.
For example, the Wisconsin Pork Association raises funds by operating its legendary Pork Schoppe. The concession stand has been a State Fair staple since 1983, serving up everything from Pork Chop on a Stick to Pork Burgers. “For us to not be there in 2020 is dissapointing,” says WPA Executive Vice President Keri Retallick, “but we certainly understand all of the thought that went into” canceling the State Fair.
For fair goers, the Pork Schoppe is a way to snag delicious food. But, for WPA the stand serves as one of the biggest sources of income throughout the entire year. “These are non-check off dollars and the dollars that we raise from the Pork Schoppe are used to have advocacy for the pork industry in the state of Wisconsin.” It is because of the money from things such as the Pork Schoppe that WPA is able to work with the state legislature and ensure that the Wisconsin pork industry is being heard.
Without a State Fair, “those dollars will be lost,” says Retallick. “Those dollars will unfortunately not be recouped.” This is a very sad predicament for everyone as WPA also uses funds raised from the Pork Schoppe for scholarships.
These are just a handful of the thousands of ripple effects being felt within the ag community and beyond due to the Wisconsin State Fair getting scrapped for this summer.
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