Division of Fairs 



Steven F. Quinn, Director 



The growing network of agricultural fairs and exhibi- 

 tions in Massachusetts received a healthy boost in 

 1988 with the hiring of Joan Hobart of Middlefield as the 

 Department of Food and Agriculture's first Supervisor of 

 Fairs. Other staff promotions last year also made the 

 Division of Fairs better able to meet the changing needs 

 of the Massachusetts fair industry. 



Joan Hobart, the new fairs supervisor, is based at the 

 agency 's Western Massachusetts regional office, located 

 on the grounds of the Eastern States Exposition in West 

 Springfield - the largest of the more than 100 agricultural 

 exhibitions held annually in the Commonwealth. The ef- 

 ficiency of that office also has been improved by the 

 promotion of Alexandrine Porter-Martin as senior clerk- 

 typist and overseer of computer programs. At the 

 agency's main office in Boston, Ellen Hart was promoted 

 to the job of administrative assistant in 1988, handling 

 division matters in the absence of the Director. 



Program Expenditures 



From a total appropriation of $693,069 for Division 

 of Fairs activities in fiscal year 1988, $375,000 was allotted 

 for prizes; $140,000 for rehabihtation; $50,000 for ex- 

 hibits and grants to agricultural youth programs; and the 

 balance of funds for administrative purposes. 



Fairs Rehabilitation 



The division's ongoing effort to improve buildings and 

 grounds at fairs statewide was aided in FY 1988 by a 

 $50,000 increase over the previous year's appropriation. 

 Priority was given rehabihtation projects at fairs in 

 Adams, Bolton, Greenfield and Barnstable, as well as the 

 Boston Flower Show. 



The Big E 



Some 993,000 visitors came through the gates of the 

 1988 Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield in 

 September. The Massachusetts Building looked better 

 than ever, thanks to a fine effort from the Division of 

 Capital Planning and Operations and members of the 

 Western Massachusetts Nurserymens' Association. The 

 building now boasts new roofs, new paint, new raiUngs, 

 new hghts, and new landscaping-once again dignifying 

 our presence on the Avenue of the States. New exhibits 

 in 1988 included expanded models of farmers' markets, 

 local wine products, the Massachusetts Veterinary As- 

 sociation, the Massachusetts State Police, the Mas- 

 sachusetts Tree Farmers, and an exceptionally 



well-received exhibit on lobsters by the state's environ- 

 mental law enforcement officers. 



Workshops 



Successful training workshops were conducted in 

 1988 for new fair secretaries, inspectors, cattle superin- 

 tendents, and judges for fruit-, vegetable- and fiower- 

 growing competitions. 



Wool Board 



The Division continued its involvement in 1988 with 

 the Massachusetts Wool Board. Producers last spring 

 pooled together their wool, sent it out of state to be 

 processed into blankets and then sold their goods for 

 above-wholesale prices. In that way, participating Mas- 

 sachusetts shepherds earned larger returns for their clips. 

 A similar effort to market lamb meat collectively con- 

 tinued to be hindered in 1988 by the lack of an appropriate 

 packing facility within the state. Still, local growers con- 

 tinue to do well individually with their freezer-trade busi- 

 nesses. 



17 



