A statewide competition at Indiana county fairs is returning with a focus on fighting hunger as youth participants collect food for local food banks.

The Fight the Hunger, Stock the Trailer contest will again bring together junior fair boards across the state, including those in Carroll and Clinton counties, according to a community announcement. The initiative, organized by Farm Credit Mid-America and sponsored by Rural 1st, encourages young leaders to coordinate donation drives throughout their county fairs.

Participants gather nonperishable food and work with local communities to support nearby food banks. The effort emphasizes youth leadership while creating a direct impact for families facing food insecurity, according to the announcement.

“We’re glad to bring this initiative back to county fairs across Indiana and to see young people step up and get their communities involved,” Craig Carter, regional vice president of agricultural lending at Farm Credit Mid-America, said in the announcement. “The Carroll and Clinton County Fairs bring people together, and this contest gives folks a simple way to come alongside a cause that supports neighbors right here at home. In the end, our communities are the ones who benefit most.”

Record collections highlight growing participation

Youth-led donation drives have expanded steadily since the program began in 2022, with recent totals showing a sharp increase in contributions.

In 2025, participants collected 233,500 pounds of food for more than 70 food banks across Indiana. That total more than doubled the previous year’s 108,000 pounds and marked the fourth consecutive year of record-setting donations, according to the announcement.

Lake County recorded the largest contribution during that period, bringing in 75,122 pounds of food.

Since the competition began, more than 1 million pounds of food have been collected and distributed across Indiana and Ohio.

Financial support and community investment

In addition to food donations, Farm Credit Mid-America provided financial contributions to support participating youth organizations.

Each fair board received $500 for taking part, with additional funding awarded to regional winners. In total, $56,000 was distributed to junior fair boards across Indiana.

The contest is part of broader community investment efforts by Farm Credit Mid-America and its consumer lending brand, Rural 1st, which contributed more than $4 million to programs in 2025. That total included $1.59 million dedicated to youth, college students, and young and beginning farmers.

More information about the initiative is available on Farm Credit Mid-America’s Community Investment webpage.