Author: Jessica Bessin
Planning Unit: Mercer County CES
Major Program: Build Engaged and Empowered Communities – General
Plan of Work: Agriculture and Horticulture
Outcome: Initial Outcome
Despite global pandemic circumstances, Mercer County Cooperative Extension Agents and staff continued the collaborations with Mercer County Fair & Horse Show Board and Mercer County FFA to develop plans to continue with its long standing, rich tradition of the county fair. Extension Agents worked diligently with the Mercer County Health Department and Mercer County Judge Executive to develop a plan approved to hold Open Class and 4-H Floral Hall events, as well as Livestock Shows. One of the key pieces of this plan required pre-registration of all entries (livestock and floral hall) in order to anticipate capacity and gather information for contact tracing. The agents and staff worked diligently in June 2020 to get the system set up and information sent out to fair exhibitors for July 1, 2020. The Horticulture agent took the lead on approving participants as they registered items and testing the new scanning system that recorded results for floral hall. This system proved to be a more efficient use of agent and staff time before, during and after county fair by simplifying entry and reporting aspects. The few volunteers working the event were very pleased with the system and have requested continued use of the online entry system.
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