Mt. Olive Pickle Co. exits Great American State Fair over Confederate flag

PITT COUNTY, N.C. (WNCT) – The Mt. Olive Pickle Company says it decided to withdraw from the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., after a Confederate flag was included in an exhibit.

The company told Nexstar’s WNCT that they were invited to participate in the North Carolina exhibit.

“We are proud of our North Carolina roots, and we agreed to be a part of an exhibit, as presented to us, that would represent the best of our great state,” the company, based in Mount Olive, North Carolina, said in a statement.

North Carolina was one of several states that said they would not attend the fair due to budget constraints. However, they are still represented at the 16-day event after companies in the state stepped up, Nexstar Washington correspondent Gabrielle Caracciolo reported.

The Confederate flag appeared in a video that played at the North Carolina exhibit.

Mt. Olive Pickle Co. said it were unaware of that image was being used, and have since pulled out of the display.

“Our company stands on values of human dignity, opportunity, and freedom,” the company added in its statement.

The North Carolina booth still features other local companies. Operation Helo, for example, is on hand to discuss some of the ways they can help provide rapid response disaster relief following disasters.

Visitors can also take a picture with a NASCAR stock car, courtesy of Richard Childress Racing.

The Great American State Fair runs through July 10.