URBANA, Ill. — Agricultural fairs generated a multimillion-dollar return to the Illinois economy in 2014, according to an economic impact study conducted last summer and released last month.
In addition to boosting local, county and state coffers, county fairs provided an array of non-monetary benefits to local communities despite facing funding and societal challenges, according to more than 4,500 attendees at 15 agricultural fairs across the state who participated to the survey.
The 2014 county ag fair program in Illinois produced an estimated economic impact of $90 million and supported a total of 1,000 jobs, according to University of Illinois Department of Urban and Regional Planning graduate researcher Alex Norr, who conducted the study with supervision from the Department of Urban and Regional Planning.
The state’s return on its allocation to fairs through the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDA) in 2014 was 18 times greater than its original investment, Norr found. "The IDA allocated just about $5.1 million for fairs. Of that $5.1 million we estimate that about $3.1 million went directly from agricultural fairs, through either the ag premium fund (for awards and prizes) or the ag rehabilitation fund (reimbursements for fair facility maintenance and upgrades)," Norr said.
"We won’t know until the 2014 (IDA fair) report comes out exactly how much of that $3.1 million was used, though we expect that most or all was used. Given that $3.1 million investment, we see an economic impact across the state of just shy of $90 million in collective total revenue."
The study determined during the summer of 2014 an estimated $170 million was spent by county fairgoers, with $90 million in transactions occurring directly within the Illinois economy.
"An important aspect of this study was to determine how much of the money was spent outside the fair, and the economic impact on local communities," said Norr.
Survey respondents were polled on how much they spent for items and services such as fuel, food and lodging. They were quizzed on how much they spent at area big-box retail stores, mom-and-pop shops and for services such as laundry, repair or medical.
"It’s important in an economic impact analysis to understand where the money is spent, (with) the fairs as the catalyst," Norr explained. "We found the impact to support 1,000 jobs. We’re not saying they created 1,000 jobs, but the fairs generated enough revenue to support those jobs."
County fairs in the northern zone of the state generated an estimated economic impact of $44 million. There was an estimated $17 million impact from central Illinois and a $12 million impact in the southern region.
Small fairs generated an average estimated economic impact of $315,000, medium fairs generated $900,000 and large fairs provided a $3 million economic impact on the state of Illinois’s economy, according to the survey.
It was also found that agricultural fairs provide non-monetary benefits to local communities by serving as a catalyst for continuing local traditions, strengthening family bonds, offering opportunities for local organizations, providing ag education and more.
"We also wanted to know the social community benefits and why people go to the fairs – why they are important. It’s the community social impacts that are most often overlooked," said Norr. "We asked questions in one-on-one interviews to gather that data. What we found is across the board, county fairs in Illinois are a tradition in communities, and in most cases a significant part of a community’s heritage.
"They are supported and maintained with donations by local communities. They are traditional town events – like the Fourth of July fireworks – that have a unifying effect on communities, especially in rural Illinois where you may be hours away from a major metropolitan area and the fair may be the only major event of the year."
The primary challenges facing Illinois county fairs include a lack of state and local funding, diminishing appeal to younger generations and the challenge of keeping fairs relevant, the study found. Bill Jennings, Richland County Fair board president, said he hopes the study attracts the attention of state leaders and compels them to increase funding for ag fairs.
"Over the last several years, we have received tremendous cuts and, hopefully, we’ll be able to stop that bleeding and realize the impact we’re still having with county fairs throughout the state," Jennings told The Associated Press.
The study was conducted in partnership with the nonprofit Illinois Assoc. of Agricultural Fairs. It can be accessed through the website at www.illinoiscountyfairs.org
