North Carolina Commissioner
of Agriculture

Sean Haugh

Libertarian Sean Haugh is running for commissioner of agriculture. As a Durham resident of over 30 years, he believes that he understands the people of North Carolina and sees them more interpersonally through seven years of delivering pizzas, according to his website. 

His major platform is “people, not politics” and believes libertarians have a better understanding of the people. He also wants to “take the politics out of the government.” Haugh is running on ideals of greater education opportunities, stronger economic potential, better healthcare options and equal justice for all, according to his personal campaign website. According to the Raleigh News and Observer elections guide, Haugh said his top priority is the full legalization of marijuana. 

Steve Troxler

Republican Steve Troxler, current commissioner of agriculture, is running for another term. He has served in this role since 2005 and is a graduate of North Carolina State University, where he received a bachelor's degree in conservation and environmental studies. He is also the owner and operator of Troxler Farms and grows tobacco, wheat, vegetables and soybeans.

Before becoming the commissioner of agriculture, he was also a past president of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture and a former chairman of NASDA’s Food Regulation and Nutrition Committee. He was honored with a 2015 NASDA award for his commitment to food safety. Troxler currently serves on the board of the North Carolina Foundation for Soil and Water Conservation, the rural Economic Development Center and the North Carolina Biotechnology Center. 

His platform is mostly economical, with his website stating, “Agriculture is our state’s leading economic driver. Our farmers feed the world. When I began my first term as Commissioner, agriculture was a $59 billion industry for our state. Today, I am proud to say that we have grown that number to over $103 billion."

Sarah Taber

Democrat Sarah Taber is running for North Carolina’s commissioner of agriculture. Taber grew up in Kentucky, where she gained experience working in fields and factories. She received her bachelor's degree in environmental science from Brigham Young University and her doctorate in plant medicine from the University of Florida. She now lives in Fayetteville. She has spent 27 years in the agricultural field and 10 years helping small farmers expand their operations. 

Taber has a three step plan to expand North Carolina’s agriculture industry: prioritizing “high value” crops such as berries, hemp and tree nuts, opening up avenues for more people to become farmers, and increasing farm ownership in rural North Carolina.