11 June 2024
FAYETTEVILLE—Sarah Taber, the Democratic nominee for North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture, has raised more for her campaign than any past Democratic nominee for the seat since incumbent Republican Steve Troxler was first elected 20 years ago. Dr. Taber, a crop scientist and expert in food supply chains, safety, and infrastructure, has spent the last 10 years specializing in farm operations, helping clients build agricultural businesses that are worth $4 billion today.
The donations, from over 1,100 supporters, include contributions from 44 counties across North Carolina, from Currituck in the east to Jackson in the west.
“People are ready for change,” Taber explained. “For many years now, our farms’ income has lagged behind their peers in Georgia, Iowa, and Virginia. The economy in many of our rural areas is suffering as a result. The farmers in North Carolina’s rich countryside face the same market, weather, and soil conditions as they do in Georgia and Virginia. But our neighbors are earning up to twice as much per acre as we are.”
The Taber campaign also released a memo of an internal poll conducted for the campaign by YouGov Blue. After registered voters in North Carolina heard positive and negative messages about Mr. Troxler and Dr. Taber, Taber led 50%-41% with a margin of error of 4.6%.
The memo highlights several weaknesses in Mr. Troxler’s record as Commissioner of Agriculture, including:
- 57% are less likely to vote for Mr. Troxler when they learn that he was Agriculture Commissioner when North Carolina saw the largest epidemic of crop insurance fraud in US history, making it harder for honest farmers and rural entrepreneurs to stay in business. [1]
- 56% are less likely to vote for Mr. Troxler when they hear that our state’s agriculture sector shrunk by 20% during his time in office, once inflation and population growth are factored in. [2]
- 55% are less likely to vote for Mr. Troxler when they discover that North Carolina farmers have missed opportunities and fallen behind growers in Iowa, Georgia, and Virginia, making as little as half as much per acre. [3]
North Carolina voters respond warmly to Dr. Taber’s pro-business track record and vision. Taber’s platform includes investing in the state’s hemp industry; investing in high-value tree crops like hazelnuts, chestnuts, and orchard fruit; and bringing more produce shipping and handling capacity to North Carolina so local farmers can sell high-value crops like tomatoes, strawberries, and peaches into markets across the country while lowering the cost of food in North Carolina.
North Carolina is one of only two Commissioner of Agriculture races happening in the country this year. Dr. Taber would be the first Democrat elected to an Agriculture position anywhere in the country since 2018. This race is clearly one to watch.
For more information:
info@taberfornc
call/text: (910) 227-9162
Twitter/X: @SarahTaber_bww
Instagram: @SarahTaberNC
Facebook: @SarahTaberNC
[1] Chris Bennett, “Evil Grain: The Wild Tale of History’s Biggest Crop Insurance Scam” AgWeb 14 September 2020. https://www.agweb.com/news/crops/evil-grain-wild-tale-historys-biggest-crop-insurance-scam
[2] Market value from USDA Ag Census; population from US Census bureau; inflation factor from US Inflation Calculator based on US Consumer Price Index. Shrink calculated by subtracting 2022 “Farm Income from Sales” by the product of the 2002 farm sales figures and the combined inflation and population growth ratio, and then dividing the result by the 2002 farm sales figures.
[3] Calculated using the USDA 2017 Farm Typology. https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2017/Online_Resources/Typology/typology.pdf
