The goal of the PA Preferred® Baking Contest is to encourage young people across the Commonwealth to participate in Pennsylvania’s agricultural fairs by showcasing Pennsylvania grown and produced products in their contest entries.
RULES:
1. Open to any individual amateur baker (ages 8 through 18 at the time of the fair’s contest) who is a Pennsylvania resident. One entry per person.
2. Entrants may NOT have won 1st place in this PA Preferred® Junior Baking contest at any other fair in 2026.
3. Entry must be six (6) individual sized portions of the baked entry item (cookies, brownies or bars).
4. The Cookies, Brownies or Bars, and any fillings and frostings, must be made from scratch with edible ingredients. No pre-packaged ingredients may be used (ex: no pre-made mixes, cookie dough, pie crust, frosting, etc.). Any decorations must be edible.
5. At least two (2) PA Preferred® or locally produced ingredients must be used in the recipe. Some examples of qualifying ingredients include grains (such as oats or flour), butter, milk, eggs, fruits and/or vegetables.
6. A PA Preferred® logo is not required because not all PA Preferred® products carry the label. The name of the ingredient and the source is sufficient (see attached example). Contact RA-AGPAPreferred@pa.gov for any assistance with qualifying ingredients.
7. Entry must be submitted for judging on a food safe disposable setting. (All pans, plates and dishes are considered to be disposable and will not be returned.)
8. The PA Preferred® entry and its recipes will become the property of the Fair or PA Farm Show and will not be returned.
9. Recipe(s) must be submitted with the entry, printed on one side of 8-1/2” x 11” sheets of paper. Recipe must list all ingredients, quantities, and preparation instructions. The name of each PA Preferred® ingredient or locally produced ingredient must be clearly listed with the words “PA Preferred” and then the name of the source that made/grew the product (ex: PA Preferred Milk – Galliker’s brand; or PA Preferred Apples - Smith Farm Orchard). Entrant’s name, age, address and phone number must be printed on the back side of all pages.
10. Refrigeration is not available at the fair or PA Farm Show. Entries that require refrigeration after baking must indicate so in the recipe. Those entries will not be sold, auctioned or otherwise distributed for consumption after judging for food safety reasons.
11. Judging Criteria:
Flavor - 40 points (aroma, taste, good balance of flavorings)
Inside Characteristics - 30 points (texture, even grain, evenly baked)
Overall Appearance - 20 points (surface, shape, size, color)
Topping, Icing, Decorations - 10 points
TOTAL 100 points
FAIR PRIZES: 1st - $20, 2nd - $15, 3rd - $10
First Place Winner is eligible for the 2027 PA Farm Show competition. Premiums for the 2027 PA FARM SHOW competition are 1st - $500, 2nd - $250, 3rd - $100, 4th – Rosette, 5th – Rosette.