North Carolina’s agriculture commissioner has been Republican Steve Troxler since 2005, and candidates will again compete to unseat him in November.
The challengers are Democrat Sarah Taber and Libertarian Sean Haugh, both of whom responded to a questionnaire from The News & Observer and Charlotte Observer about their plans for the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, if elected. Troxler did not answer the questionnaire.
The agriculture sector is important in North Carolina, contributing more than $111 billion to the state’s economy by 2024. The state ranks first nationally in the production of sweet potatoes, tobacco, poultry and eggs, and second in Christmas trees, turkeys and trout. as well as third place in pigs and cucumbers.
The NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, under the direction of the Agriculture Commissioner, is responsible for overseeing and enforcing agricultural, food safety, and environmental regulations.
The department also supports farmers, protects consumers, assists with agricultural marketing and promotion, and administers the North Carolina State Fair and the North Carolina Mountain State Fair. The agriculture commissioner is working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Environmental Quality.
Both Taber and Haugh believe they are well suited for this versatile job.
Questionnaires for candidates
Troxler is an NC State graduate from Guilford County and owns a farm growing tobacco, wheat, vegetables and soybeans. He is past president of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, an organization representing the elected and appointed officials of state agriculture departments.
Taber is a business consultant and small farmer with 27 years of experience in agriculture. She holds a doctorate in plant medicine from the University of Florida and a postdoctoral diploma in blueberry breeding from the same institution. She has also worked with the US Food and Drug Administration on aquaponics.
Haugh said in his questionnaire that he is “best known for delivering pizzas,” after gaining some media attention when he ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in 2014 and 2016. He also ran for a state House seat in 2020 and 2022. The questionnaire shows he is retired, attended “some college” and has helped build the Libertarian Party of NC since 1994.
Both candidates asked specific questions about how they would combat the projected loss of agricultural land in coming years and whether they support the Department of Environmental Quality’s proposed regulations aimed at controlling “forever chemical” contamination of drinking water supplies in North Carolina.
The candidates also shared what their top priorities would be if elected. To find out what these priorities are and more, read Taber and Haugh’s candidate questionnaires at newsobserver.com/voterguide.
