This guidance is intended to assist funding recipients in complying with all legislative requirements.
This guidance applies to all recipients of funding, including county fairs, district fairs, Arkansas State Fair, Arkansas Youth Expo, and district junior livestock shows.
Funding Allocation:
Funding allocations will be based on the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s annual appropriation bill approved by the General Assembly.
Use of Funds:
Allowable expenditures include but are not limited to operational costs directly related to the fair or livestock show, infrastructure, equipment, and educational programming.
Prohibited expenditures include association fees, dues, or other association related expenses.
Reporting Requirements
Each recipient must submit the following to both the Department of Agriculture and Arkansas Legislative Council by June 30 of each year:
- Proof of annual continuing education.
- An annual financial report for the previous state fiscal year that includes without limitation an accounting of state funding utilization.
- An annual operating plan for the upcoming year.
- A certificate of good standing from the Secretary of State.
Reports to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture must be submitted online at Arkansas Funding for Fairs and Livestock Shows Reporting.
Continuing Education
Recipients of funding must complete annual continuing education. Topics may include but are not limited to financial management, grant compliance, event safety and agriculture education.
Board Membership and Oversight
Each county fair board must include a county extension agent as a non-voting, ex officio member.
For any fair that uses county facilities or receives county funds, the county’s Quorum Court must review all documentation, including the fair’s financial report, operating plan, and certificate of good standing prior to submitting to the Department and Legislative Audit.
The following counties shall be members of the districts as follows:
North Central District: Cleburne, Fulton, Izard, Sharp, Stone, and Van Buren County.
Northeast District: Clay, Craighead, Cross, Crittenden, Greene, Independence, Jackson, Lawrence, Lee, Mississippi, Monroe, Phillips, Poinsett, Randolph, St. Francis, Woodruff, and White County.
Northwest District: Baxter, Boone, Carroll, Madison, Marion, Newton, and Searcy County.
South Arkansas District: Arkansas, Ashley, Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Cleveland, Dallas, Drew, Faulkner, Grant, Lincoln, Lonoke, Ouachita, and Prairie County.
Southwest Arkansas District: Clark, Columbia, Garland, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Howard, Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Montgomery, Nevada, Pike, Saline, Sevier, and Union County.
Arkansas-Oklahoma District: Benton, Conway, Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Perry, Polk, Pope, Scott, Sebastian, Washington, and Yell County.
Tri-County Fair: Lee, Monroe, and Phillips County.
The Four States Fair, hosted in Texarkana, Arkansas, shall be treated the same as a district fair.
For questions about requirements and funding, please contact Alex Johnston at [email protected].
*This guidance is provided in accordance with Act 933 of 2025.