Wadsworth is a Wake County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor, first elected in 2010. Cooper won re-election to a second term with 51.5% of the vote. Together, with a focus on encouraging our farmers how to diversify their crops, transition to best management practices that better soil health, market their brand online, explore agribusiness opportunities they can participate in with their farms—i.e. That includes expanding rural broadband access and giving our farmers the tools necessary to compete in a global economy. Support fearless independent local journalism. Jenna Wadsworth, the Democratic candidate for state Agriculture Commissioner, posted and then deleted a video of herself that appeared to celebrate President Donald Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis. Investing in educating students about small-scale production has a multitude of possibilities in our rapidly growing urban cores and could be a way to address both food deserts and food insecurity, as well as to help reconnect people to where their food comes from. So please grab your phone and friend, and join us! Photo via Jenna Wadsworth Wadsworth, 30, said on Twitter that she is running with “a forward-thinking vision for our future.” She told The Center Square that her campaign is about bridging the divide between rural and urban farmers. Jenna Wadsworth is used to blazing trails. 20 sitting Legislators have endorsed me so far, which means I’ll have the relationships from day one to begin implementing policies that will protect our natural resources and begin to combat climate change as we tackle environmental justice issues that have been neglected for far too long. Do you believe the state currently has adequate safeguards and regulatory structures in place? Within a few years, a significant percentage of grocery purchasing will occur online. I wanted to start my campaign in Eastern North Carolina—somewhere that has been on the frontlines of both the climate crisis and environmental degradation by international corporations—because I believe that most rural folks understand that in order for agriculture to survive and thrive, we must adapt and evolve. Of course, he and I still disagree over just how straight those rows were. Economically, for reference, just look at what has happened in Michigan and Illinois now that they have legalized cannabis. I value the contributions of immigrants and refugees in this country, and I find that my work with international populations helps to ground my understanding of the power of having diverse voices at the policy making table anywhere across the world. Deputy Campaign Manager at Jenna Wadsworth for NC Commissioner of Agriculture Cary, North Carolina 56 connections. I also believe that these experiences will help me achieve a favorable position when it comes to engaging in international trade policy, developing new markets, and discussing economic issues and environmental standards with both prospective and current trading partners as your Commissioner of Agriculture. 3) In parts of the Triangle, rising land prices have made farming expensive—and some farmers have chosen to sell their land rather than stay in the business. Email We must equate environmental degradation to economic devastation. I grew up on a dusty, dirt road in Johnston County on my grandparents’ farm—where we raised or grew 7 of our state’s top commodities: hogs, cows, chickens, corn, cotton, tobacco, and soybeans. Paid for by the Jenna Wadsworth Committee, Jenna Wadsworth hopes to keep serving on Wake's Soil & Water board. This is not a new or groundbreaking truth. I support expanding the hemp industry and revising some of the prima facie discrimination biases in the licensing process. The short answer is “no.” For most of our state’s—and nation’s—history, policy has been made by the privileged few with very little input from diverse voices who are informed by their lived experiences. I have seen firsthand the advantages of calling an urban zip code home. You must have a schedule F or FSA number. Incumbent Governor Roy Cooper, a Democrat, ran for a second term.The Republican Party nominated Lt. We’re only a few weeks away from the most important election of our lives and it’s crunch time. 6) Over the last few years, there have been a lot of lawsuits focused on the environmental and nuisance impacts of hog farming in eastern North Carolina. This opportunity to parse the connection between agriculture and land holds much potential for the future of vertical grows, aquaponics, sustainable agriculture, and greenhouse and nursery production that is less susceptible to the effects of climate change. Commissioner of Agriculture | Jenna Wadsworth (D) Jenna Wadsworth on her campaign to become NC's next Commissioner of Agriculture. All people deserve to be treated with respect. Most farmers are conservationists, in large part because they had to be in order for their land to remain productive. At the end of the day, folks who are actually growing or raising crops here at home are not always the ones who are benefitting from this program with great intentions but perhaps a questionable execution. A side you really ought to see. We have to invest in rural healthcare. Bridging the ever-growing urban-rural divide in our state: I am a bridge builder who has lived in rural Johnston County and then represented highly-urbanized Wake County. The Commissioner must also stop the bleeding of the agricultural extension offices in our state budget. I just want to remove any opportunities for folks to be subjected to discriminatory treatment because of the color of their skin, and I believe that there are ways that I can do that as Commissioner of Agriculture. Jenna Wadsworth for NC Commissioner of Agriculture. Cannabis legalization would also benefit those needing medicinal relief. I’m proud to have the support of the last Democrat to sit in this office, Former NC Commissioner of Agriculture Britt Cobb. North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Democratic primary candidates Jenna Wadsworth, Donovan Watson and Walter Smith want to run against Republican Steve Troxler in the 2020 election. Look no further than our current President, who is engaging in a new trade war every other week, hurting farmers who make up his base by pitting them against foreign powers in trade wars that are putting them out of business with skyrocketing commodity prices. “Let’s put our farmers first while planning for the future of North Carolina Agriculture” — Donovan Alexander Watson Donovan Alexander Watson As a proud North Carolina farmer, Donovan knows that North Carolina agriculture has a sturdy foundation and immense potential. These might include career or community service—please be specific. We have to meet the demands of our consumers who want to see cannabis legalized, who want to develop a relationship with their farmers, and who want to know the inputs that went into the product they are purchasing. To truly understand the depth of my passion for serving in public office, we have to go back to where it all started. We need to build resiliency into both our farm and community planning, and move to more sustainable agricultural models with a focus on soil health, regenerative agriculture, and value-added agriculture, as well as crops like plant-based foods in order to continue feeding our state and the rest of the world that is depending on us. Our organization has trained many of the young leaders throughout the state that are developing or enacting progressive policies that raise up whole communities. I’ve been endorsed by the NC AFL-CIO, and I am committed to fighting for our workers. My opponent Steve Troxler—the current Commissioner of Agriculture, who that day was named an honorary campaign chair for the Trump/Pence 2020 campaign—did nothing to condemn the hateful rhetoric. Legalization has travel and tourism benefits, can reduce brain drain from our rural areas to urban centers, and completely revitalize towns on the brink of nonexistence. As more people call cities home, we have to look at homesteading, urban ag, community gardens, and small-scale production as forms of farming too. We cannot re-elect a Commissioner who equivocates on climate change. Speaking at the App State College Dem's 50th Anniversary Celebration. 1) Please tell us what in your record as a public official or private citizen demonstrates your ability to be an effective Commissioner of Agriculture? When she won that election at age 21 she became the youngest-ever woman to win elected office in North Carolina. I have the support of Senators: Sam Searcy, Wiley Nickel, Jeff Jackson, Paul Lowe, Mike Woodard, and Fmr. Young people are apprehensive about exploring a career in farming that means a future spent working the hardest job at all hours of the day with a very low profit margin, high risks, dependence on political leaders to create financial lifelines, extreme uncertainty, overwhelming stress, and difficulty in safeguarding their mental, physical, or economic health. Jenna was the 2020 Democratic Nominee for NC Commissioner of Agriculture. However, just because someone was born in or chooses to live in Duplin or Watauga Counties versus Durham or Orange does not mean that they are any less deserving of high quality medical care and a good paying job. It’s fair to say that Troxler is tied to a President known for his denigration of LGBTQ rights—specifically transgender military personnel; women's rights; and the rights of the most vulnerable members of our community, including immigrants and differently abled people. I have been vocal and used my social media platform to respond, also calling out the inherent bias and often prejudicial treatment of black and brown individuals the police tend to subject to traffic stops and possession charges. In particular, our farmers can’t succeed without the technology necessary to compete in the global marketplace. It’s just hard for them to actively vocalize that concern if the leader they are depending on to help them "weather the storm" doesn’t have the political courage to buck his Party’s position that climate change is fake news. Wadsworth’s campaign website lists nearly two dozen platform issues such as farmland preservation, environmental education, water quality, agribusiness, agritourism and support for renewable energy and solar leases and health issues like Medicaid expansion and Medicare for All. This election is one that will erode the old idea that agricultural and environmental interests don’t have to work in tandem to produce responsible policy that ensures both economic viability and a commitment to advancing the quality of life for everyone who calls our state home. As AI advances, we must caution our students not to forget the human component of agriculture. We should support Present Use Value (PUV), which keeps taxes low on farm and forestry land, at least until we can approach this problem from another angle. You must have tax revenue and have completed your taxes on time. EQUALITY and WOMEN’S RIGHTS: Steve Troxler, the Republican incumbent, is an honorable campaign chair on the Trump/Pence 2020 campaign committee. Eastern NC farmers lost 5,500 hogs and 3.4 million chickens in the past few storms. Leadership starts from the top. Extension agents are a valuable resource to ensuring the longterm success of our farmers in communities throughout the state. That’s devastating. There are numerous LGBTQ issues at stake in our state. Addressing the bigger picture means realizing we all must hold ourselves to a higher standard. A Schedule C doesn't count. 514 Daniels Street. My record of working with people of diverse backgrounds and differing political affiliations to accomplish real policy successes for the people who call Wake County home is a translatable skill to serving all North Carolinians and the agricultural sector as your next Commissioner of Agriculture. Current Wake County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor Jenna Wadsworth (D) discusses her campaign to become North Carolina's next Commissioner of Agriculture. This election is a chance to affirm that social and environmental justice issues should be taken into consideration when making laws and defining regulations. I believe we have to find a definition that reflects where we want agriculture to go. Governor Dan Forest.The Libertarian Party nominated Steven J. DiFore and the Constitution Party nominated Al Pisano. It's also great for seniors and others with certain chronic health conditions. Join to Connect. It is from those experiences—and countless others—that I learned early on the value of hard work and the importance of the family farm in putting food on our tables and clothes on our backs. After just five weeks, Michigan has seen $8.2 million in total sales and $1.3 million in combined excise and sales tax. We can change that. Rep. Chaz Beasley, Hillsborough Councilman Matt Hughes, Durham County Commission candidate Nida Allam, Holly Springs Councilman Aaron Wolff, Fmr. The Commissioner also has not stood up to the SBI and the Legislature in advocating AGAINST a ban on smokable hemp, which is an economic opportunity farmers are depending upon. I have been working with our Chair, fellow Supervisors, and staff to enhance engagement of landowners and farmers in our conservation programs, to raise awareness of our environmental education work in our schools, and to increase the effectiveness of our working relationships with other local Districts and state-level staff in order to better serve agricultural and water quality needs here at home. You cannot get a license if you've EVER had a drug or controlled substance charge. Anti-science rhetoric and nationalism will not only be the nail in the coffin for democracy; it’ll also be the death of us. I also support the legalization of cannabis. Jenna is the Democrat opposing Steve Troxler for NC Agriculture Commissioner. I have been endorsed by NC AFL-CIO. pumpkin patches, school tours, wedding venues, etc.—and ensure they are addressing both their physical and mental health needs, we can truly support our small farmers in this state. He’s been bought and paid for by the pork and poultry industries and the international corporations like Smithfield who are denigrating both our environment and the image of small farmers—who are, perhaps rather unfairly, being lumped together with the few bad actors down East—in a way that will forever cripple the ability to seek common ground and mutual understanding with both the consumers and the lawmakers who overwhelmingly live in our urban cores. ADDRESSING RACIAL BIAS IN POLICING: The SBI and certain elected officials in justice departments across our state are vehemently against legalization of marijuana and want to make smokeable hemp illegal. I believe it is, indeed, real and is the most fundamental problem that will be faced by any of us in this lifetime. While traveling icy roads (from the passenger seat as we were) heading to Wilkes and Yadkin Counties, I desperately tried to get a wireless signal so I could write and send an email to our list about the concerns rural folks have before attending events in both Forsyth and Guilford Counties to meet voters and party officials. This was followed by meetings and a Black Excellence Gala in Mecklenburg County the next day, and an event in Chatham County on Sunday. © 2020 Indy Week • 320 E. Chapel Hill St., Suite 200, Durham, NC 27701 • phone 919-286-1972 • fax 919-286-4274, Candidate Questionnaire: Jenna Wadsworth, Commissioner of Agriculture, https://indyweek.com/news/elections/jenna-wadsworth-wake-county-soil-and-water-conservation-dist/, https://www.jennawadsworth.com/endorsements.html. First, I will absolutely comply with the Governor’s Executive Orders to extend pregnancy protections to workers and to extend leave to new parents after the birth or adoption of a child. These 500 year flood events resulting from recent hurricanes will not be one-off events. Jenna was hired to establish a finance operation for a mayoral campaign. Right now, cannabis is not legal in NC. PUV may eventually be an outdated idea if, in the future, we see agriculture shifting from land intensive practices to more urban models. Share a little more about yourself and let us know what we can do to work together to better conservation or equality or whatever it is your heart desires. We can and we will do better. We can begin to fight back against the school to prison pipeline as I advocate for dismissal of past misdemeanor possession charges while also alleviating workload issues for an already over-burdened court system. I believe in being a woman who lifts as she rises, and I’m always looking for opportunities to help change makers build connections and develop their leadership potential. It has huge economic potential, in addition to allowing us to begin to combat the opioid epidemic that so many North Carolina families are facing. As the effects of climate change intensify, we're going to see an increase in the number of climate refugees from the developing world seeking shelter and a chance to survive. Jenna Wadsworth says she doesn’t look like a typical farmer. I led in building innovative public-private partnerships that created training opportunities for farmers in transitioning to new best management practices with an eye towards soil health, as well as created opportunities for nontraditional farmers to enter into the agricultural field. She’s currently a Wake County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor. on a greater scope of responsibilities as a member of the District's leadership. We must recognize their response to facing increased farm stress. Students should be learning about the politics of food and labor. At Trump’s 2019 rally in Greenville, North Carolina, cries of “send her back” erupted in reference to Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. Republican incumbent Steve Troxler was elected in 2004. We must also address the power of the big distributors who are getting rich on the backs of our small farmers and who currently control what products even appear on grocery shelves. Look at Bolsonaro down in Brazil who refused a $21M aid package to help put out the fires in the Amazon Rainforest which provides nearly 20% of the world’s oxygen—fires largely caused because cattle farmers down there are having to clear more and more land to keep pace with rising demands for meat. But fewer of North Carolina’s youth are choosing agriculture, our changing climate is harming our […] Our detachment from science and an inability of the leader of the industry to accept the truth of the climate crisis has resulted in reduced innovation and discouragement in doing things differently. We can repair vital infrastructure needs like the bridges you’re driving on day in and day out that should have been repaired 10-20 years ago and see a budget surplus that can go on to fund public transit and our public school systems that desperately need the revenue to purchase new educational resources or to absolve student lunch debt. Not currently, especially if you’re a smaller family farmer. Just because it’s uncomfortable to talk about doesn’t mean the problem doesn’t exist. All of these experiences will inform how our next generation decides to adapt and evolve in order to continue farming by learning from what did and did not work. NC Senate Candidate Andrew Barnhill, Chief Justice Cheri Beasley’s Chief of Staff and General Counsel Anna Stearns, NC House Candidate Ricky Hurtado, Councilman Jonathan Melton’s campaign manager Virginia Reed, NC House Candidate Terry Brown, Fmr. Climate change. If we want to help the farmers who have been hit the hardest by these tariffs, we can’t do things the way we’ve always done them and expect different results. Students could help develop opportunities to make this prospective economic gateway more accessible to our agricultural community and assist in training our older generations in using technology to remain competitive. I am currently the Vice-Chair of the Wake County Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors—a role I’ve been humbled to serve in for the past 10 years since, together with the voters of Wake County, we made history in 2010 when I became the youngest woman ever elected to public office in North Carolina. Some of these farmers are leveraging equity in everything they have this season just to try to make it to the next. If elected, I’d be the first out LGBTQ person to serve on the Council of State. Most farmworkers are paid at or below the federal poverty line and work over 12 hours a day in the blazing sun. Just writing relief checks can’t be our only solution to dealing with these crises. However, 33 states across the country have now legalized it either medicinally or recreationally. Through our Voluntary Agricultural District Program, our Keeping the Farm workshop, and various other trainings and resources for installing practices that are not only environmentally friendly but also the most cost efficient in the long run, we’ve seen many of our farmers keep their farms and serve as models for adapting to modern times. In the words of Winston Churchill, “Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it.” We must learn how farmers innovated in response to the Dust Bowl. One that recognizes our strengths, gives a nod to our past, commits to being better for the benefit of our collective population, and that inspires innovation in tackling whatever challenges may lie ahead because we know we will work together to do just that. To truly understand why I feel that way, I think it’s important to discuss my platform and what issues I would prioritize in addressing how the Department supports and interacts with farmers and consumers throughout our state. I announced my campaign in March of 2019 at the Teen, College, and Young Democrats Convention at East Carolina University in Pitt County. I have a vision for addressing pressing social issues in our society and ushering in a new future in agriculture that will give our family farmers and true North Carolina producers the opportunity to succeed not only in our state but also in the global marketplace. Additionally, I am the founder and managing partner of a small business. What can the state do to help farmers who have struggled because of those tariffs? Name as it appears on the ballot: Jenna Wadsworth, Occupation & employer: Vice Chair, Wake County Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors; small business owner; hobby farmer, Years lived in North Carolina: my whole life. This is a crime in a state that produces so much of the country’s food supply. Eastern North Carolina is somewhere that understands that no farms = no food. Vote We have to prioritize our rural folks, especially in the areas of mental and reproductive healthcare—even more so in the wake of so many regional hospital closures. Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried is a shining example of using her platform to be an outspoken advocate on her support of women’s rights and the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. 3. Not only that, but he has rolled back environmental and wetland protections—which will hurt our coastal areas here in North Carolina—and he refuses to recognize that the greatest threat in our lifetime is climate change. My campaign Co-Chair is Former NC Court of Appeals Judge Linda Stephens. You cannot get a license if you've had a felony charge in the last ten years. We’re building a movement for a new North Carolina. ... “Nobody connected with my campaign … If you’re able, please pitch in and make some phone calls for the campaign. Donors from the pork, poultry, chemical, and big ag industries should not set the priorities of the Department. Additionally, building these relationships could result in mentorship of our students by our farmers and allow our next generation of agriculturists to understand how we got to where we are now.