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State Fair board upholds sanctions in two livestock appeal cases, orders testing and disposal charges
Summary
The board upheld sanctions in two livestock appeal hearings held Dec. 19, 2025: one exhibitor was barred from exhibiting in 2026 after a positive blood test; in a second case the manufacturer accepted responsibility for a contaminated product but the board approved sanctions including billing for carcass disposal and future testing requirements.
During the Dec. 19 Nebraska State Fair Board meeting, Dawn Caldwell presented two livestock appeal decisions originating from hearings held that morning in the State Fair Administrative Offices.
In the first appeal, an exhibitor’s randomly ordered blood test at Texas A&M returned positive for a product not approved for that species. The Agriculture Committee recommended sanctions; after hearing the evidence the full board upheld that recommendation. The board approved a sanction barring the exhibitor from exhibiting at the 2026 Nebraska State Fair, and ordered that animals the exhibitor enters after 2026 be subject to periodic and random testing.
In the second appeal, a Texas A&M urine test returned positive for a product that the committee characterized as “not typically approved.” Evidence presented showed the product had been sold by a vendor on the fairgrounds and that the manufacturer acknowledged a batch error and offered reimbursement to the exhibitor. The committee concluded the exhibitor partially met the burden of proof. The board approved recommended sanctions: the exhibitor will be billed for carcass disposal, future entries from the exhibitor will be subject to periodic and random testing, and the committee requested that awards and banners associated with the entry be returned. The board carried both motions after roll call votes.
The Ag Committee reports and the board’s action emphasize the State Fair’s continued use of laboratory testing (Texas A&M referenced in both cases) and a sanctions framework that includes exhibition bans, testing requirements and financial responsibility for disposal when warranted.
