HURON, SD – The South Dakota State Fair gets underway Thursday, Sept. 3 with Value Added Ag Day. It’s the 21st year the observation has kicked off the fair.
South Dakota Value Added Ag Center Executive Director Cheri Rath says one change to the event will be instead of having everyone located in one tent, there will be several tents located around the fairgrounds.
“Some things will be different this year because of COVID but we are still planning on 20 vendors located in individual tents around the fairgrounds to facilitate social distancing.”
She says there are a variety of value-added companies taking part this year.
“We’ll have specialty foods available such as grass-fed beef, an on-farm cheese making company, wines, processed meats and produce,” says Rath.
Rath says they’ll also be presenting several mini seminars during Value Added Ag Day. “Eco tourism in a way that operations can diversify and marketing beef direct from the ranch is also a part of these seminars.”
Rath says because of the pandemic the Value Added Ag Development Center has been busy this year working with seven projects focused on meat processing.
