1. The director of agriculture, for the purpose of fostering and developing agriculture within the state of Missouri, is hereby authorized to pay to nonprofit county and district fairs and to regularly organized or incorporated nonprofit agricultural societies having as their object the holding of shows, exhibitions or fairs for the advancement of agriculture in Missouri a percentage of certain premiums actually paid by such county, district or agricultural society, shows or fairs as provided by law.
2. District fairs are hereby defined as fairs covering more than one county yet not large enough to be considered statewide in purpose and territory.
3. The total of such state aid to be paid by the director of the department of agriculture shall not exceed the appropriation made to the department of agriculture by the general assembly for such use and purpose.