SALEM — County fairs across the state are likely to see their funding cut in half in December.

According to Bart Noll, chairman of the Oregon Fair Association, state lawmakers intend to cut $1 million in lottery revenue from the county fair account, which is the primary source of funding for Oregon’s county fairs.

Noll said the July 16 announcement took him by surprise because the OFA had assured the funding would be in the budget proposal. Noll said each county fair receives $25,000, a “modest amount.”

“It’s going to be pretty devastating for us,” Grant County Fairgrounds Manager Mindy Winegar said.

Noll said the fair association has successfully leveraged its allocations in years past and turned that money into significant returns to the state by putting on events, renting out facilities and hosting other group activities.

Cutting a county fair’s primary source of funding, Noll said, puts a county in a situation where they cannot turn a profit.

“And so then that calls into question: Are they going to have the money to start up again in 2021?” he said. “If you have no money, you can’t even open the doors to begin with.”

Noll said the fair association has been the first organization to take budget cuts in the past to help the state with its budget woes. That is not the case this time.

“Now, it’s become an existential thing,” he said.

Noll said aging fairground facilities and rising maintenance costs are rendering more fairgrounds unsuitable for public use.

Smaller rural fairs, like Grant County, also struggle to attract large crowds. Last year, Winegar said the company contracted to provide the carnival at the Grant County Fair canceled and the fair could not find a replacement, opting for other forms of entertainment instead.

Noll said the OFA planned to request an additional $25,000 in operating funds for each county fairgrounds statewide in the legislative short session this year. Noll said OFA also requested additional funding for a $250,000 study to determine maintenance and structural work that needs to be done at county fairgrounds statewide.

However, lawmakers stalled and did not take any legislative action on the proposal by walking out to kill a proposed climate change bill.

Sen. Lynn Findley, R-Vale, said July 17 that he has not seen the final draft of the Ways and Means Subcommittee budget, but he did hear about the proposed cut.

“I’ve heard the million dollar number for the county fairs more than once,” he said. “I’ve not seen it in writing yet.”

He said $50 million was allocated to venues, including county fairgrounds, earlier this week in an emergency board meeting to offset losses and operational costs.

Findley said fairs cannot replace budget shortfalls, but if they spent money for a COVID-19-related cost, they can apply for reimbursement of that cost.

Findley said the state has to balance the budget amid the economic downturn during the pandemic, and that there are tough times ahead.

“We’ve got to find $3 billion,” he said.

He said he hopes the state makes budget decisions “strategically and carefully” without raising taxes.

“We have to maintain the economic development component, and we have to keep businesses operational and viable,” Findley said.

He said it would be “devastating” for the state should county fairs not be able to return in 2021.

“It’s an incredible community event,” he said. “Whether you’re in Eugene and Linn County, or in Grant County, it brings family families together. It’s a gathering point in rural counties.”