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The state fair is often called Indiana’s agricultural showcase, which is why Indiana Farm Bureau plays such a visible role during the fair.

For 2018, many INFB-sponsored events center, as usual, around the Farm Bureau Building. But this year the organization is involved in some new activities.

“We’re excited to sponsor two new programs at the fair this year: Animal Town and the Supreme Drive,” said Chelsea Poe, INFB’s membership marketing specialist, who coordinates the organization’s presence at the state fair.

“We’ve had a great presence at the fair through the Farm Bureau building for many years,” she added. “It gives us a unique opportunity to educate fairgoers about the diversity of Indiana agriculture and where their food comes from. Our hope is that they will leave with a better insight into agriculture, one of the largest economic drivers of Indiana, and that this knowledge might influence their future decisions.”

One of Farm Bureau’s new activities is sponsoring Animal Town, an interactive experience that will feature a variety of animals including cows, pigs, sheep, goats, horses, llamas, rabbits and chickens.

Animal Town will be offered daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and will be located at the east end of the Hoosier Lottery Grandstand. Besides the animals themselves, the new attraction will offer educational talks about livestock so that fairgoers can learn about all of the livestock species exhibited at the fair, even those that don’t happen to be in the barns during their visit, Poe explained.

Another new activity is the Indiana State Fair Supreme Drive, an event intended to provide additional recognition opportunities for 4-H’ers and recognize the best breeding stock Indiana has to offer. Supreme and reserve champion 4-H breeding ewes, dairy females and gilts will be recognized at the event, to be held at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum on Aug. 12 beginning at 4 p.m.

 Among the activities INFB will present in the Farm Bureau Building:

• Taste from Indiana Farms – Aug. 14-16 (presented by the INFB Women’s Leadership Committee).
• Interactive exhibits, children’s activities and Farm Bureau’s famous free popcorn (courtesy of Preferred Popcorn).
• Continuous screening of videos featuring Indiana Farm Bureau members talking about their farms and the diversity of Indiana agriculture.

“The addition of the new programs will help solidify Indiana Farm Bureau’s commitment to agriculture education for the urban public and allow us to support Indiana 4-H’ers involved in livestock projects,” Poe added.