By U.S. Senator Deb Fischer

Everyone has a memory of the state fair. For some young Nebraskans, it’s showing their animals and livestock, like cattle, hogs, and horses. For others, it’s exploring the 4-H and FFA exhibits, viewing the beautiful quilts, or ambling down the midway. For many others, it’s attending events like the tractor pull, draft horses, or concerts.

Everyone has their favorite fair foods. The list of delicious treats is long, mouth-watering, and "interesting": funnel cake, corn dogs, cotton candy, anything fried on a stick, and, my personal favorite, pineapple whip. My husband, Bruce, and I especially enjoy the delicious beef at the Nebraska Cattlemen’s Beef Pit. It is tough to beat. 

Nebraska’s first state fair was held in Nebraska City in 1868. For over 40 years afterwards, Nebraska City, Brownville, Lincoln, and Omaha alternated as host cities for the annual celebration. But in 1901, the Nebraska Legislature chose the Lancaster County Fairgrounds in Lincoln as the permanent home for the state fair.

During its time in Lincoln, the fair grew enormously. The fairgrounds expanded and attendance increased. At the beginning of the 21st century, it became clear that the fair required updated facilities and more space than the city of Lincoln could provide. So in 2008, the legislature voted to relocate the fair westward, to its current site in Grand Island.

Each year, families know they’ll get a taste of the best of our state, and more than just its food. Nebraskans will be reminded of who we are as a people: hardworking, dedicated, and proud of our accomplishments. Families will also be reminded of our connection to the land. Agriculture is the economic engine of our state, and Nebraska’s producers feed the world. We know it, and we take it seriously. That much is obvious from the displays of outstanding livestock, state-of-the-art equipment, and innovative techniques used to feed more and more people worldwide.

The state fair is also an opportunity to connect with Nebraskans from every corner of our vast and beautiful state. This year, in addition to attending many wonderful events, I will host a roundtable discussion featuring leaders from Nebraska’s telecommunications and agriculture communities. Our focus will be delivering greater broadband access for agriculture producers and rural Nebraskans.

For Nebraska’s agriculture producers, broadband access means more than catching the latest television show. It means providing producers with access to the latest connected technologies, which will allow them to maximize efficiency and feed a growing world population. Access to broadband is necessary for farmers to survey crop yields and soil conditions and for livestock producers to monitor herd health and market variability. This access is also critical to creating jobs and economic opportunity in our state.

By hosting this roundtable, I hope to bring together community and industry leaders for an important discussion on the many issues related to broadband access in rural Nebraska. I am looking forward to hearing from a wide range of telecommunications providers, government officials, and agriculture producers who will share their unique perspectives.

The state fair is a wonderful way to celebrate the Good Life. As we enjoy its many offerings, I will be talking with our agriculture and broadband leaders to ensure rural Nebraskans can stay connected, even after the midway empties out and everyone heads home.

Thank you for taking part in our democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.