Since the earliest days of this great state, Alabama has been built on its farms. Even today, agriculture/agribusiness is the largest industry in Alabama. As Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries, I want to use my more than 40 years of experience in developing Alabama businesses to “grow” Alabama agriculture/agribusiness – and Alabama itself – with more better paying jobs and expanded markets.
Alabama’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries should be the lead salesman for Alabama-made goods and home-grown products. I propose creating an Alabama Agriculture Marketing Initiative (AAMI) comprised of farmers, economists, wholesale and retail grocers and marketing specialists who understand the great potential of Alabama agriculture to get our products to national and international marketplaces.
Additionally, we must do a better job at the state level to market Alabama-grown products to our own citizens. Through the Alabama Agriculture Marketing Initiative, we will make Alabamians aware of what our farming communities produce right here in Alabama. To local residents we will stress the message that nothing could be safer and more palatable than fresh agricultural products harvested by Alabama farmers from their fields and waters.
I am prepared to use my experience to work with our new governor, other constitutional officers, legislators, local elected officials and other stakeholders to expand export opportunities for Alabama’s agribusiness interests. A simple example would be working with the governor and his cabinet to ensure agribusiness sectors are represented on all trade missions and other global marketing opportunities.
Another issue that I have stressed during my campaign has been the need for more conservation and planning related to Alabama’s water resources.
We have taken the ample supply of water in our state for granted. We can’t do that anymore; we face threats to our water supply from neighboring states as well as from demands created by population growth, farming, manufacturing, and from freshwater consumption.
Unlike many other resources, water has no substitutes. We must take steps now to better measure our water usage and educate our water consumers about the volume of their consumption and the cost of their water use – to themselves and to our state.
There are great opportunities to recycle water available through proper wastewater management. By focusing efforts to reclaim wastewater “on-site” at points of high water usage rather than moving waters offsite for treatment, great savings can be obtained.
We also should develop crops that need less water than current seed strains. Steps can and should be taken to discourage growth of crops that are more “moisture dependent” in certain areas of the state.
As Alabama becomes more and more “thirsty” we will need elected officials capable of providing reasoned leadership in addressing the water issue. The right people have to be in the right leadership positions to ensure that we as a state will not be faced with unpleasant consequences – and to assure Alabama consumers, agribusiness, manufacturers, and recreational water users of the continued availability of safe, economical, and ample water resources.
My life’s work has centered around agribusiness, forestry, wildlife, natural resources management, protection of private property rights and Second Amendment rights. These experiences make me uniquely qualified to serve the citizens of our great state as Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries.
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