The Mt Olive Pickle Company, which bills itself as the top-selling pickle brand in the United States, has pulled out of the Great American State Fair in Washington DC after a video shown at North Carolina's booth briefly displayed a Confederate flag — the banner associated with the pro-slavery side of the American Civil War and later adopted by white supremacist groups. The company said it had been unaware the flag would appear in the video, and cited its commitment to "human dignity, opportunity, and freedom" in explaining its withdrawal. The incident is the latest controversy to surround the 16-day fair, which is affiliated with the Trump administration and has been dogged by low attendance, dangerous heat that hospitalised at least seven visitors, and the refusal of several Democratic-governed states to participate.