The Knox County Fair is joining a statewide youth-led effort to fight hunger by participating in the annual Fight the Hunger, Stock the Trailer contest, which supports local food banks across Ohio.
The competition, presented by Farm Credit Mid-America and sponsored by Rural 1st, began in 2021 and has grown each year. This year’s contest kicked off in July at the Knox County Fair in Utica, Ohio, where junior fair boards are leading the charge to collect food donations from their communities.
The initiative encourages youth leaders to collaborate with neighbors and fairgoers to gather food for local food banks. Since its inception, the contest has inspired creative fundraising strategies and record-breaking donations.
“We’re glad to bring this initiative back to county fairs across Ohio and to see young people step up and get their communities involved,” Bob Siegel, regional vice president of agricultural lending at Farm Credit Mid-America, said.
Siegel emphasized the community impact of the program.
“The Knox County Fair brings people together, and this contest gives folks a simple way to come alongside a cause that supports neighbors right here at home. In the end, our communities are the ones who benefit most,” he said.
The program’s success in 2025 set a new benchmark for Ohio fairs. That year, junior fair boards collected 448,827 pounds of food for more than 60 food banks statewide, a 57 percent increase over 2024’s total.
Ross County emerged as the statewide leader, gathering 122,640 pounds of food for Brookside Church and Good Samaritan Food Pantry. Overall, the contest has donated more than 1 million pounds of food in Indiana and Ohio since its launch.
In addition to food donations, Farm Credit Mid-America contributed $500 to each participating fair board and awarded additional funds to regional winners, totaling $63,000 in support. The organization also invested more than $4 million in rural programs in 2025, including $1.59 million for youth, college students, and beginning farmers.
Fight the Hunger, Stock the Trailer continues to serve as a platform for youth leadership and community engagement, reinforcing Farm Credit Mid-America’s mission to secure the future of rural communities and agriculture.
