Vermont fair leaders ask lawmakers for more capital grants and relief as stormwater rule threatens some fairs' futures

Senator Allison Clarkson convened the Senate Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs committee on Feb. 19 to hear testimony from fair operators across Vermont on the economic and community roles of local fairs and rising costs tied to stormwater regulation.

Fair leaders said state support — a $110,000 annual stipend from the Agency of Agriculture plus periodic capital grants — helps keep mostly volunteer-run fairs operating and delivering community services. Jackie Folsom, who identified herself for the record as a lobbyist for the Vermont Agricultural Fairness Association, said the stipend is “the turning on the lights money” used for premiums, vendor payments and basic marketing, and that fairs also receive capital grants administered through the institutions committee.

Those capital grants currently total $300,000 in the most recent appropriation cycle; fair representatives said they are asking the institutions committee to increase that to $450,000 in the next cycle to support multi-year infrastructure plans. Folsom said the stipend has been as high as $200,000 in the past, and that any additional state dollars tend to be reinvested locally.

Committee members and fair managers focused most of their testimony on a…