Hancock County Agricultural Society Audit Results Released
(From the Hancock County Agricultural Society)
The Ohio State Auditor’s Office today released the results of the Hancock County Agricultural Society’s financial records for fiscal years 2023 and 2024.
“We are very pleased with the results of the Auditor’s report,” said Jeff Beach, Vice President of the Hancock County Agricultural Society. “The report upholds our ongoing position that our financial records are solid and above reproach.”
The audit found one instance of a misclassification of funds from the 2024 financial records, several misclassifications between financial categories from 2023 and reconciliation errors in both years. All instances had already been corrected as a result of the Society’s independent forensic review conducted October 2025 through February 2026.
“As we have continually stated, the Society’s financial position is solid,” Beach said. “Both the state audit and independent forensic review confirmed that all funds are accounted for and that the Society’s financial position is stable. We reaffirm our commitment to financial transparency, accountability and stewardship.”
In October, the Ag Society engaged CliftonLarsonAllen LLP to perform a comprehensive forensic review of its financial records. The forensic review, which included an analysis of individual transactions and account activity, reached the following conclusions:
-All funds are fully accounted for
-Discrepancies were the result of bookkeeping errors and QuickBooks misclassifications
-A misclassified $200,000 certificate of deposit had been corrected
-The Society’s accounting team was fully cooperative and transparent throughout the process
As a result of the Auditor’s findings and the forensic review the Society has implemented several procedural adjustments including:
-A formal financial review process that includes multiple levels of oversight prior to finalizing reports
-Enhanced internal and reconciliation controls, requiring final review of financial statements by both management and the Board
-Improved classification procedures within accounting systems to ensure accuracy and consistency
The next routine state audit is scheduled for 2027 and will review fiscal years 2025 and 2026.
“We’ve learned a lot during this process. We’ve identified opportunities to modernize past practices and better align with current accounting standards and requirements,” said Beach. “We are confident that the improvements already in place, and those we will be implementing, will result in stronger financial controls and reporting accuracy going forward. The financial position of the Society is stable, well-managed, and in responsible hands.”