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[0] What do you think of the requirements to be Agriculture Commissioner? Are they outdated? Explain. [2] I believe requirements are very important to be Agriculture Commissioner. I believe having experience, knowledge and a financial stake in agriculture is the best way to understand agriculture. I will never apologize for being a farmer. [3] I believe the commissioner of agriculture should indeed have a strong agricultural background, which I cannot imagine one managing to have without, in fact, having been a farmer. When elected, I believe a strict interpretation of the current law might suggest that the person would not be eligible to run for a second term due to being “principally” engaged in running a $65 million department rather than one’s own farm, though the knowledge and experience gained from 4 years serving as Commissioner would logically be as significant and qualifying as having been managing one’s farm. I believe it should be addressed for clarity. [4] There is no debate regarding the requirements. How can you administer the Department of Agriculture and understand the needs of the people of this state if you have never been a farmer? It goes back to the leadership issue — a good leader is well versed and able to apply the skills they have learned to run an effective operation. [5] I think very strongly that there should be some sort of requirements. I’m the only candidate with a degree in agriculture from West Virginia University. I sat through those classes ... and I hated them, and I wondered why I was sitting there. Today, I find that I use them every single day. ... That being said, my background is also in the dairy industry. I milked cows for a lot of years. I’ve got the farm background. I still operate my own farm as well. In the U.S., I think there are 36 commissioners of agriculture who are appointed by their governors in each state. I know most of them, and every one of them is a farmer. They can talk the talk, and they can walk the walk. (If) we would up and send a commissioner of agriculture from West Virginia that’s not a farmer that doesn’t know the language, doesn’t know what to say, we would be the laughing stock of the nation. So I think it’s important that we have someone with the right background. [6] Did not respond to repeated attempts to contact him. [7] Could not be reached for comment [1] 
They are absolutely valid. West Virginians need to be confident the Agriculture Commissioner has the experience and knowledge of farming. They need to be able to trust the commissioner because too much depends upon it. Our food supply and food safety is crucial, but often taken for granted. The individuals in this race who are not qualified by law were in a position to change the laws if they needed to be changed before running. They chose not to do so. Only the Legislature can determine if a law is outdated. The Agriculture Department could have recommended new legislation if they believed the laws were outdated.
AgriHunt: WV agriculture commissioner race draws statewide attention
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