▁any ▁compens ation ▁other ▁than ▁the ▁joy ▁of ▁public ▁service . ▁Despite ▁its ▁char ter ▁as ▁an ▁agent ▁of ▁the ▁territorial ▁government , ▁the ▁Society ' s ▁mot ive ▁force ▁and ▁institution al ▁goals ▁and ▁staff s ▁were ▁provided ▁by ▁the ▁L DS ▁Church ▁and ▁for ▁many ▁years ▁the ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Society , ▁and ▁the ▁members ▁of ▁its ▁board ▁of ▁direct ors , ▁were ▁selected ▁or ▁approved ▁by ▁Br igh am ▁Young . ▁The ▁first ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Society ▁was ▁The ▁Pres iding ▁Bishop ▁of ▁the ▁L DS ▁Church , ▁Edward ▁Hunter ▁who ▁served ▁from ▁ 1 8 5 6 ▁until ▁ 1 8 6 3 . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁L DS ▁Church ▁General ▁Conference , ▁a ▁semi - ann ual ▁meeting ▁of ▁the ▁L DS ▁Church , ▁following ▁the ▁incorpor ation ▁of ▁the ▁Society ; ▁an ▁entire ▁session ▁was ▁devoted ▁to ▁a ▁reading ▁of ▁the ▁act ▁of ▁an ▁" ag ric ult ural ▁ser mon " ▁explaining ▁the ▁Society ' s ▁plans ▁and ▁purpose ▁to ▁" prom ote ▁the ▁arts ▁of ▁domestic ▁industry ▁and ▁to ▁encou rage ▁the ▁production ▁of ▁articles ▁from ▁the ▁native ▁elements ▁in ▁Ut ah ▁Territ ory ." ▁As ▁one ▁way ▁of ▁doing ▁this , ▁the ▁Society ▁spons ored ▁an ▁annual ▁ex position ▁in ▁Salt ▁Lake ▁City , ▁" The ▁Des er et ▁Fair ." ▁ ▁The ▁First ▁Fair ▁Only ▁nine ▁years ▁after ▁the ▁ 1 8 4 7 ▁arrival ▁of ▁the ▁M orm on ▁pione ers ▁to ▁the ▁Salt ▁Lake ▁Valley , ▁the ▁Des er et ▁Agricult