ALLIANCE, Ohio — Fight Hunger, Stock the Trailer, presented by Farm Credit Mid-America and sponsored by Rural 1st, is a friendly competition that empowers young Ohio residents to combat hunger.
This summer marked the fourth year of the program, with 66 county fairs across the state collecting a record-breaking 286,339 pounds of food for local food banks.
Every participating county fair received a donation to support activities that build future agriculture leaders. Additional prize dollars were given to the top 15 participating fairs.
In total, Farm Credit Mid-America donated more than $50,000 to junior fair boards.
“This year, we were able to increase the total amount raised by over 25% while reaching a record amount of food raised,” said Melanie Strait-Bok, senior vice president of agricultural lending for Farm Credit Mid-America in Ohio, in a statement. “With more than a million Ohioans facing food insecurity, it has been inspiring to see our communities come together in this way.”
Winners were determined by calculating the total weight of all donations at participating fairs throughout five regions in Ohio. First-place regional winners were awarded $5,000 in addition to the $500 donation they received for participating in the event.
This year’s first-place winners were Champaign County Fair for collecting 11,700 pounds of food, Guernsey County Fair for collecting 30,340 pounds of food, Lorain County Fair for collecting 32,580 pounds of food, Ross County Fair for collecting 30,140 pounds of food and Van Wert County Fair for collecting 7,340 pounds of food.
Second-place winners were awarded $3,500 in addition to the $500 donation they received for participating in the event. This year’s second-place winners were Ashland County Fair for collecting 10,080 pounds of food, Clermont County Fair for collecting 12,455 pounds of food, Hartford County Fair for collecting 13,677 pounds of food, Henry County Fair for collecting 4,380 pounds of food and Warren County Fair for collecting 7,080 pounds of food.
Third-place winners were awarded $1,500 in addition to the $500 donation they received for participating in the event. This year’s third-place winners were Brown County Fair for collecting 10,100 pounds of food, Defiance County Fair for collecting 3,043 pounds of food, Greene County Fair for collecting 5,440 pounds of food, Muskingum County Fair for collecting 10,300 pounds of food and Stark County Fair for collecting 8,620 pounds of food.
“Doing Stock the Trailer these past few years has helped me realize how big of an impact it is to help better our community,” said Ashland County junior fair board member Alexus Evans. “Even something as small as donating a few cans of food can make the biggest difference for a family.”
To learn more about Farm Credit Mid-America and its commitment to supporting local communities, visit fcma.com.
