Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sits down each week with Southern Farm Network’s Rhonda Garrison to discuss “Today’s Topic.”
Fall is coming, but the agricultural fair season is already here. Several ag fairs are held in August, and fairs in Burke and Vance counties wrapped up on Labor Day. But September is really the peak time for ag fairs across the state.
In fact, six fairs will get under way before the end of the week: Avery County Fair, Cabarrus County Fair, Cumberland County Agricultural Fair, Surry County Agricultural Show and the Mountain State Fair in Fletcher. That one is operated by the NCDA&CS Marketing Division.
All total, there are about 40 ag fairs across the state, and the season will continue into early November, when the Cape Fear Fair and Expo wraps up in Wilmington.
These fairs play an important role in educating North Carolinians about agriculture. Commissioner Troxler says they show agriculture’s history, present and future. And they really help people understand where their food comes from and why we should appreciate the hard work of farm families.
In addition to the educational exhibits and shows and the usual attractions like rides, games and food, these fairs also give visitors a taste of the local traditions where they take place. With so many people moving into North Carolina, that’s an aspect of fairs that we shouldn’t ignore. We want new residents to know more about the state they’ve moved to.
If you’re interested in visiting an agricultural fair, you can find a list here. And you can listen to Commissioner Troxler and Rhonda talk about agricultural fairs by clicking on the audio player below.
[Audio:/wp-content/uploads/Troxler_9-6-16.mp3|titles=Today’s Topic for Sept. 6]
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