Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – When you look past the carnival midway, the corn dogs, and the concerts, the Illinois State Fair is really about agriculture.

When State Rep. Charlie Meier (pictured, left) (R-Okawville), a fourth-generation farmer, considers extensive regulations and rising costs, he says he will not blame President Trump nor Gov. JB Pritzker, “We need to be working together to keep coming up solving our solutions. We can take care of it,” Meier said Friday. “If you want to blame it on Iran, you can blame it on Iran. If you want to blame it on JB, you can blame it on JB. But when you are doing all that blaming, you’re not doing anything to fix the problem.

“We need to create more markets; we need to be working together to create those markets. We need to get rid of the inheritance tax.”

Farm trade groups were heavily represented at the fairgrounds’ Commodities Pavilion. One, the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association has a new president. Jenny Webb moved over last month from the Illinois Farm Bureau. She is delving into what her constituents say they prioritize. “What issues are top of mind for them, what regulations they’re seeing, and then finding out how we can provide the best value to our members, whether that be support in the regulatory space if they encounter an issue. We provide a lot of safety and education in the custom application industry.”

The Illinois State Fair continues through Sunday, Aug. 23.