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Bill would let commissioner add new agricultural competitions to stipend program; fairs ask to include educator stipends
Summary
LD 12 13 would allow the Commissioner of Agriculture to approve additional agricultural competitions for inclusion in the state stipend apportionment that funds fairs; supporters asked the committee to also permit educator gratuities and update outdated statutory terminology.
LD 12 13, presented by Senator Craig Hickman, would add a catch‑all category allowing the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to approve an additional agricultural competition for purposes of calculating stipend payments from the state agricultural support fund. Testimony came from fair organizers and the Department, with some witnesses urging that educational events and stipends for instructors also be recognized.
What the bill does: Current statute ties stipend apportionment to premiums paid for 10 enumerated competition categories (livestock, poultry, home canned, baked goods, etc.). The bill would add a provision permitting any other agricultural competition approved by the Commissioner to be counted in the stipend formula.
Supporters’ arguments: Franklin County Fair President Representative Bill Hall said fairs have evolved and now host events—tractor pulls, new competitions and educational programming—that were not contemplated when the statute was drafted decades ago. April Boucher of the Common Ground Country Fair urged the committee to allow gratuities for educators and program leaders to be eligible for the stipend calculation so fairs can pay presenters and sustain a growing slate of workshops and school‑group programming.
Department view and suggested edits: DACF supported adding the “any other competition” language but proposed minor statutory updates to modernize terms (for example, replacing “domestic and fancy articles” with “arts and crafts”) and requested striking “gratuities” (an undefined term) to reduce confusion. DACF recommended using the statutory language already present in the section—"competition"—rather than the broader term “event,” and suggested clarifying definitions in work session.
Fiscal and practical notes: Testimony clarified the agricultural support fund is primarily funded from pari‑mutuel and related gaming receipts and not the general fund; the fund amount has fluctuated and the stipend is apportioned based on premiums paid by licensed fairs.
