BARN 25Q RENNOVATIONS COMPLETED

SPRINGFIELD, IL - The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) celebrated Ag Day at the Illinois State Fair with a ribbon cutting celebrating the completion of the Barn 25Q renovation. Barn 25Q is a part of the historic 25 barn series on the Illinois State Fairgrounds and the first of the series barns to get a makeover.

The cattle barns, which were first constructed on the fairgrounds in 1928, will see three barns undergo renovations over the course of the next three years thanks to Compeer Financial. The cooperative's corporate giving program, the Compeer Financial Fund for Rural America, has committed to donating $180,000 over the next three years to the Illinois State Fairgrounds Foundation to support the renovations of one 25 series barn each year. Barn 25Q is the first barn to be completed thanks to this gift.

"The Illinois State Fair is at the heart Illinois agriculture, and these buildings are just a small part of the pulse that is the fair, showcasing the long history and modern aspects of agriculture," said John Monson, chief marketing and mission officer at Compeer. "Our Fund Board believed this commitment was a great way to support the fair, and the agricultural families that look forward to the fair each year."

Improvements made to Barn 25Q include cleaning exterior walls, re-tuckpointing all mortar joints, resealing all windows with caulking, interior paint and the addition of three high volume / low velocity circulation fans.

The Illinois Fairgrounds Foundation contracted with a masonry firm to provide the tuckpointing services and window repairs as well as a painting contractor to address the interior of the structure.  IDOA provided the labor to install the new fans, upgrade the electrical system, and paint the exterior trim. 

Compeer Financial is a member-owned Farm Credit cooperative serving and supporting agriculture and rural communities throughout 144 counties in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin.  Compeer Financials' Board of Directors has dedicated one percent of annual net earnings to support the giving back through the Fund for Rural America.