WILKES-BARRE — At the recent 2025 PA State Association of County Fairs Convention, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding announced the results of an economic impact study ordered by the PA Department of Agriculture, finding that Pennsylvania’s 107 county and local fairs contribute $1.14 billion to the state’s economy annually.
A seasonal backbone of the state’s $76 billion tourism industry, PA fairs support more than 10,700 full-time jobs, and four million annual fair visitors spend $673 million in the largely rural communities where fairs are held.
“Every dollar Pennsylvania invests in our fairs is a dollar invested in opportunities for a community to thrive, for young people to learn valuable life skills, and for visitors to meet the neighbors who feed them and enrich their lives every day,” Secretary Redding said. “Fairs offer unique opportunities to experience local culture and traditions and make lasting family memories. Fairs fill hotels and inns with visitors who spend in stores and restaurants and inject tourism dollars into hometown economies. Pennsylvania fairs present opportunities for our farmers to sell directly to visitors and compete for prizes that demonstrate the quality of their products and give their small businesses credibility and trust in the marketplace year-round.”
Pennsylvania’s 107 county and local fairs are where agriculture and tourism meet — drawing in four million visitors last year to celebrate the Commonwealth’s rich agricultural legacy and enjoy quality Pennsylvania-farmed products.
The study includes a deep dive into the impact of local organizations that run the fairs and fairgrounds, as well as case studies of six diverse local and county fairs. This includes the Bloomsburg Fair — an eight-day fair which began in 1855 and is attended by 351,000 visitors. It has an estimated $80 million-plus impact, supporting over 700 jobs and earning more than $28 million.
Rep. Meuser co-sponsors legislation to make ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy permanent
U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Dallas, this week co-sponsored the Make the Migrant Protection Protocols Mandatory Act — legislation to codify President Trump’s ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy into law.
Implemented by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in January 2019, the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) required asylum seekers to remain in Mexico while their immigration cases were processed.
Meuser said the policy was designed to deter fraudulent claims and reduce pressure on U.S. resources. Under a U.S.-Mexico agreement, Mexico provided humanitarian aid to migrants during this process, Meuser said.
According to information provided by Rep. Meuser’s office, President Biden suspended the MPP on his second day in office, effectively dismantling the program. Since then, Meuser said more than 10.8 million illegal immigrant encounters were recorded between fiscal years 2021 and 2024, with many individuals entering the U.S. without a system in place to track them.
This week, on his first day in office, President Trump signed several executive orders related to border security. On the same day, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reinstated the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), and Meuser said the proposed legislation aims to make the policy permanent.
“The Biden-Harris administration falsely claimed that new policies were necessary to address the crisis they created at our southern border,” Rep. Meuser said. “That’s simply not true. The Trump administration demonstrated that our border could be secured through executive order and by enforcing existing laws. President Biden’s decision to reverse the ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy, among many other successful Trump-era border policies, has resulted in devastating consequences — millions of illegal crossings, violent migrant crime, rising fentanyl overdoses, rampant human trafficking. The ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy protects American families, upholds the rule of law, and ensures that those who seek asylum do so in a lawful and orderly manner. I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this legislation.”
The Make the Migrant Protection Protocols Mandatory Act has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee for further consideration.
Sen. McCormick votes to confirm Hegseth as Secretary of Defense, Ratcliffe as CIA Director
U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pittsburgh, this week voted to confirm Pete Hegseth as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Defense and John Ratcliffe as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
“President Trump needs his team of disrupters to deliver on the promise of change to the people of Pennsylvania and America,” Sen. McCormick said. “After meeting with Pete Hegseth and reviewing his testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Pete has my support. A fellow combat veteran, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, Pete has put his life on the line to defend America. I trust he will put the men and women warfighters first. He and President Trump can build a team to transform one of the most complex and critical organizations in the world and restore peace through strength.”
Pete Hegseth is an Army combat veteran. He served as an Infantry Officer in the Army National Guard, doing tours in Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay. He holds two Bronze Stars and a Combat Infantryman Badge for his time in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hegseth also held the position of CEO for Concerned Veterans for America – a veterans advocacy organization.
“In a world as dangerous as ours, America needs the strongest possible leadership at the CIA,” Sen. McCormick said. “John Ratcliffe is that leader. During his hearing, I appreciated that he promised to return the CIA to its core mission — to gather and share intelligence to protect our Nation from threats. I look forward to working with Director Ratcliffe to protect every Pennsylvanian.”
Ratcliffe has stated he will push the agency to adopt new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to ensure the highest level of intelligence on foreign countries and global issues.
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