Farm Credit Partners with State Fair of Virginia on Youth Livestock Facility
The three Farm Credit associations serving Virginia—Colonial Farm Credit, MidAtlantic Farm Credit and Farm Credit of the Virginias—have partnered with the State Fair of Virginia to build a modern livestock show facility at The Meadow Event Park in Caroline County.
Construction of the facility is underway, and the building is expected to be completed in early October, in time for a modified State Fair Youth Livestock Show. The 42,000-square-foot Farm Credit Pavilion will be partially enclosed and include 675 square feet of climate-controlled offices and restrooms.
“The State Fair of Virginia is a staple to the Virginia agricultural community. We are pleased to support the fair and fund the construction of a new youth livestock facility. The Farm Credit pavilion is sure to encourage and enrich youth agricultural participation, both at the annual state fair and at various agricultural events throughout the year,” shared Brad Cornelius, CEO of Farm Credit of the Virginias.
Virginia Farm Bureau Federation President Wayne F. Pryor added that “Farm Bureau and Farm Credit have had a long relationship in supporting agriculture in Virginia, and we welcome the continued partnership supporting the State Fair of Virginia.” Farm Bureau became full owner of the fair and The Meadow Event Park in 2013.
Farm Credit provides over $2.2 billion dollars in loans to 12,500 borrowers in Virginia. As a cooperative, the Farm Credit associations are able to return a portion of their earnings to their customer-owners. Statewide, over $41 million was distributed to farmers and rural residents in 2019. For more information on Farm Credit and their local offices, visit farmcredit.com.
The State Fair of Virginia is held each fall at its permanent home at The Meadow Event Park in Caroline County and attracts 250,000 fairgoers. The event celebrates the best of Virginia’s past, present and future through scholarship initiatives, creative programming and a focus on the commonwealth’s agriculture and natural resources industries.
Media: Contact Jim Belfield, Colonial Farm Credit chief information officer, at
804-746-4581, ext. 1116; or Marlene Jolliffe, State Fair executive director, at 804-994-2802.