HANCOCK, Mich. — The Houghton County Fair will be a little greener this year with the help of the United Soybean Board (USB), the Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee and the soy checkoff.

The fair is one of 13 nationwide awarded a total of $65,000 in grants through the USB’s Green Ribbon Fairs reimbursement program. In its second year, the program works with fairs across the country to promote the use of soy-based products such as biodiesel, paint, cleaners, hand sanitizers and more, to both rural and urban audiences. It is funded by soybean checkoff dollars.

Houghton County Fair Office Manager Carol Saari said the fair is thrilled to be the only one in Michigan to receive the award this year. She said the matching funds will allow it to complete some projects for which it otherwise may not have funding, and it helps with the fair’s overall budget, which allows the board keep the event affordable for families.

“Without any funding for premiums or improvement projects from the state, the grant allows us to get some projects done,” Saari said.

She said one grant was received from the Michigan Soybean Committee Green Fair Project. It is a 50/50 matching reimbursement program for printing the fair exhibitor’s guide and brochure using soy ink. At a total estimated cost of $2,700, the fair will be reimbursed about $1,350 from the Green Fair Project.

The second grant was awarded by USB through the 2012 Green Fairs Reimbursement Program. The fair is eligible for up to $700 of soy-based paint for indoor display cases and areas in exhibit buildings. The fair plans to purchase the soy-based “Promar 200” paint from Sherwin Williams.

“With both grants, we are pleased to be able to use items to help the agricultural industry, and using less toxic items, such as the paint, is good for the environment,” Saari said. “The grant was added incentive to pay attention to ways we can minimize waste and be more efficient.”

She said the green projects will be a group effort. “The fair will involve 4-H youth in the painting project and will showcase some of their talents, and they will be able to showcase their accomplishments,” she said.

Saari said the fair has placed much emphasis on being more green and has incorporated several other initiatives in its plans to be more environmentally friendly. The board recently added items to the website and use email for most correspondence in an effort to go paperless and to save money on postage. The fair will have a barrel on-site this year to collect used cooking oil from food vendors for an individual to use to power his vehicle.

Containers also will be located around the fairgrounds to collect plastic water bottles for recycling, and cardboard boxes from commercial exhibitors and others at the fair will be recycled. The fair supports local gardeners by collecting and composting its sawdust and other stall waste. Finally, many exhibitors choose to recycle their ribbons and trophies instead of taking them home.

Mike Beard, who serves as one of 69 USB directors and is a member of the Communications Committee, said county fairs are a great venue to promote new uses for soybeans and soy products.

“We have many new products made from soybeans. They aren’t just for livestock anymore – they are very much tailored to the urban community,” he said.

He cited products ranging from consumables such as soymilk and soyfoods, to non-consumable products such as cleaners, hand sanitizers, paint, dust suppressants and sealers for highways, and others as being “amazing new uses we’ve found for soybeans.”

He said by supporting fairs nationwide, USB and state soybean boards are able to educate the public about how soybeans are used in their everyday lives. “Fairs are a great draw for people,” Beard said. “We get to put out the message to people who may not even know what a soybean is.

“Agriculture is still a viable part of the U.S. economy and through agriculture, we can meet many of the needs of the consuming public.”

The USB works with the International Assoc. of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE) and state soybean boards to publicize the reimbursement program. The Houghton County Fair learned of the grant availability through the Michigan Assoc. of Fairs and Exhibitions (MAFE) and through IAFE, and is a member of both.

Twenty fairs applied for reimbursement funds. The applications were reviewed by a committee comprised of USB farmer-directors, which selected the 13 recipients.

Other fairs that received funding in 2012 include: Barton County Fair in Kansas; Delaware County Fair in Iowa; Dutchess County Fair in New York; Dyer County Fair in Tennessee; Indiana State Fair; Minnesota Fairs; North Carolina State Fair; Ohio State Fair; Saunders County Fair in Nebraska; South Dakota State Fair; State Fair of West Virginia; and St. Mary’s County Fair in Maryland.