Voters elected two Agriculture Commissioners on election day

Nov 11, 2024
By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content, Farms.com

Ag commissioner positions in North Carolina and West Virginia were up for grabs

Among the numerous positions up for reelection on Nov. 5, the electorate in two states voted for who they wish to represent the ag community in their respective legislatures.

In North Carolina, for example, Republican incumbent Steve Troxler won his fifth consecutive term as ag commissioner.

Democratic candidate Sarah Taber and Libertarian candidate Sean Haugh were also on the state’s ag commissioner ballot.

Troxler, who has been North Carolina’s ag commissioner since 2005, received about 2.9 million votes, or about 53 percent.

In 2023, North Carolina’s ag industry contributed $111 billion to the state’s economy.

Leading up to election day, Troxler told local media what issue as a top priority for him.

The loss of farmland is “the number one issue that we face in the future of North Carolina,” he told Smoky Mountain News.

Steve Troxler and Kent Leonhardt
Steve Troxler, left, and Kent Leonhardt.

North Carolina has more than 5.9 million agricultural growing environments, but by 2040 that number could be down to about 4.7 million acres, the American Farmland Trust reports.

The other ag commissioner election occurred in West Virginia.

There, Republican incumbent Kent Leonhardt won his third straight election, defeating Democratic nominee Deborah Stiles with more than 430,000 votes, or about 70 percent of voter support.

“Thank you, West Virginia voters, for trusting me with a third term as your Commissioner of Agriculture!” he said on X. “Together, let’s make this term our best yet and continue moving West Virginia agriculture forward!

Since becoming ag commissioner in 2016, Leonhardt has helped pass legislation allowing for increase on-farm processing of poultry and rabbits, secured $250,000 for the Veterans and Warriors to Agriculture Program, and supported FFA and 4-H programs, his website says.

In total, 12 state ag commissioners are elected.

The others are elected in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Carolina and Texas.

Video: A Farm Song (Busy) | Parody of A Bar Song (Tipsy) by Shaboozey

Lyrics:

My days begin with workin’, Alarm’s at 5 o’clock,
I Fill 5 gallon buckets, The feeders and the troughs,
This five to nine ain’t workin’, why the heck do I work so hard?,
I can’t worry ‘bout health problems, I can sleep in when I’m gone,

One, here comes the two to the three to the four,
Tell em’ ‘buy another cow, we need plenty more’,
Blue jeans are gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
There’s another flock of sheep that still needs feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

I’ve been working pretty stressed but,
I ain’t changing for some cash,
Lord knows that I’m very blessed (More chores),
But I gotta say it’s hard,
Workin’ outside gettin’ charred,
Living out here on the farm, (more chores)

One, here comes the two to the three to the four,
Tell em’ ‘buy another cow, we need plenty more’,
Blue jeans are gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history
There’s another 20 chickens that still need feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Everybody on the farm getting’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Fun, here on ranch that’s what you can’t ignore,
Might be pretty hard but I love it to its core,
Flannel’s gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores (Tell ‘em sing with me)

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
There’s another flock of sheep that still needs feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
Watching cattle in the dark, don’t miss me,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
(Yeeeeeehaw)
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
It’s the best bro, go get yourself a farm