FFA Archives - Missourinet

Missouri State Fair in Sedalia focusing on 4-H and FFA youth this year (AUDIO)

August 11, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

The 2020 state fair in west-central Missouri’s Sedalia will be a youth livestock show only, due to COVID-19 concerns. The 11-day fair begins Thursday and runs until Sunday, August 23.

Crews have completed a $2.7 million renovation at the Missouri State Fair’s sheep pavilion in Sedalia (2020 photo courtesy of fair spokeswoman Kari
Mergen)

State Fair Director Mark Wolfe says Missouri 4-H and FFA members will receive an invaluable agriculture education experience in Sedalia.

“I think we’re going to have a good event out here (Sedalia), I think we’ve kind of referred to it more as a nostalgic fair. You know, back in the day when it pretty much just was livestock and folks coming in for that friendly competition,” Wolfe says.

Officials announced on July 17 that the state fair was pivoting this year to a youth livestock show. State health officials, fair leaders and Governor Mike Parson say the best course of action was to limit the number of people on the state fairgrounds.

More than 337,000 people attended the 2019 state fair. Director Wolfe compares this year’s fair to an off-season event.

“We’ll have folks that come in early and show chickens and then go home,” says Wolfe. “We’ll have folks that come in and show swine and then they’ll go home. We’ll have cattle the same way.”

Wolfe expects thousands of people to attend, but nothing like numbers we see in a normal year.

While most of the buildings at the state fairgrounds will be closed during the upcoming fair, you’ll notice millions of dollars in capitol improvements. Wolfe thanks the governor and the Missouri Legislature for their support, saying the fairgrounds look better than ever.

“Complete renovation I think $2.7 million renovation to the sheep pavilion, over $1 million in electrical upgrades to the swine barn,” Wolfe says.

Crews have made major electrical and plumbing upgrades at the sheep pavilion in Sedalia. A new LED light system is also now in place, along with new fans in each pen area.

At the heavily-used swine barn, gutter systems have been replaced. Lighting improvements have also been made.

While there won’t be a governor’s ham breakfast this year, you’ll notice the new 20,000 square foot pavilion that replaces the director’s tent. Wolfe says Nucor Steel in Sedalia donated the structure.

There will be shorter days this year, which Wolfe says will make it easier for cleaning crews. The crews will focus on cleaning and disinfecting.

There is no carnival nor concerts this year. There will be concessionaires on site, to provide food.

Governor Parson and state Agriculture Director Chris Chinn plan a Thursday noon press conference, at the fairgrounds.

The fair is offering free masks to everyone who attends this year.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with Missouri State Fair Director Mark Wolfe, which was recorded on July 28, 2020:

Parson: Missouri State Fair will happen in August, likely without concerts (AUDIO)

June 11, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

While the governor says the Missouri State Fair will take place in August in west-central Missouri’s Sedalia, he says it will look different than previous years because of COVID-19 concerns.

The Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia (2018 file photo courtesy of State Fair)

Governor Mike Parson (R) made the announcement during a statehouse press conference in Jefferson City on Thursday.

“The state fair has only been canceled one time in over 100 years and it was during World War II,” Parson says. “As an ag governor, I guess I want to say somebody that comes from the farm, I don’t want it to be the second time on my watch that it’s canceled.”

The state fair will take place August 13-23. In response to questions from Missourinet, Governor Parson says there could be shorter hours and that some popular events may not happen.

“I doubt there will be a ham breakfast because it’s the governor’s ham breakfast so I doubt that I’m going to be asking for that, that I know of for that,” says Parson.

The 2019 governor’s ham breakfast was a sellout, with 1,000 tickets sold. The event is popular because of its food, but also because it’s an opportunity for Missouri voters to meet the governor, their congressional delegation and state lawmakers from both parties.

Governor Parson says details for vendors and other partners are still being worked out.

“More than likely there’s not going to be concerts there, there may not be a lot of vendors there, but again we haven’t sat down with (Missouri State Fair Director) Mark Wolfe and the (State Fair) Commission, so I don’t want to jump in front of them, we’re all trying to plan that together,” Parson says.

Governor Parson emphasizes the state fair is about supporting agriculture and youth in agriculture.

The Missouri State Fair has issued a statement, which says the fair’s mission has always been to showcase Missouri agriculture, “so our livestock shows will continue to honor that tradition.”

The statement also says they know the “countless hours our exhibitors and Fair families have put in to taking care of the livestock and 4-H and FFA projects,” and that their priority continues to be the promotion of excellence in Missouri agriculture and our future agriculture leaders.

More than 337-thousand people attended the 2019 State Fair.

The first Missouri State Fair took place in 1901, when Missouri’s population was two-thirds rural.

The state fairgrounds, which covers 396 acres, is open year-round in Sedalia. It also provides facilities for horse and livestock shows, arts and craft festivals and camping.

Click here to listen to Missouri Governor Mike Parson’s comments about the 2020 Missouri State Fair in Sedalia to Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and other Capitol reporters. The governor spoke in Jefferson City on June 11, 2020:

Pork leader predicts trade deals will be big for Missouri producers (AUDIO)

February 11, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

About 1,000 people from across the state have traveled to Columbia for the 2020 Missouri Pork Expo, which wraps up Wednesday afternoon. Missouri Pork Association (MPA) Executive Vice President Don Nikodim notes the state’s pork industry continues to grow. He says it contributes about $1.6 billion annually to the state’s economy.

The Pork Place restaurant is operated by the Missouri Pork Association. It’s located on the Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia (2019 file photo courtesy of Missouri Pork Association)

“We’re seeing a considerable amount of growth across the board here in Missouri, have for the last several years,” Nikodim says. “I know there’s a lot of production facilities slated to be built.”

Nikodim says recent trade agreements are an opportunity for growth in the state’s pork industry. The theme of this year’s conference at the Holiday Inn Executive Center is “Competing Globally.”

“I think one trade agreement that didn’t get as much attention as maybe it should have is the Japan trade agreement. It’s really big for our industry,” says Nikodim.

Nikodim is also excited about USMCA, which is the free trade agreement between the United States, Mexico and Canada.

He notes the China agreement is in the early stages. He notes China is dealing with the coronavirus, and that there are huge problems in China with dock workers.

Closer to home, Nikodim says flooding this past year has impacted some of his producers across the state.

“Some of the farms in the (river) bottoms, it’s been a real hassle for them,” Nikodim says. “We have a few producers that do that, and it was just a tough year on the crop guys that had to be engaged in that.”

Despite flooding, Nikodim says there has been a good corn crop and ample feed supply for Missouri pork producers.

Nikodim is also pleased that many 4H and FFA students are at the conference. He notes the Missouri Pork Association has always supported the youth groups.

The average age of a Missouri farmer is 58, and Governor Mike Parson has credited the state’s pork industry for helping young people stay on the farm.

The governor proclaimed October as “Pork Month” in Missouri. Governor Parson notes more than 3.5 million hogs are raised in Missouri, and that the Missouri’s pork industry ranks sixth in the nation.

The trade show, which took place on Tuesday, has gotten bigger every year. A Missourinet reporter walking through the Expo Center saw exhibitor booths all the way near the hotel doors.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and Missouri Pork Association (MPA) Executive Vice President Don Nikodim, which was recorded on February 11, 2020 at Columbia’s Holiday Inn Executive Center: