2024 NC General Election

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NC Voter Coalition (demo)

North Carolina

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Sarah earned her bachelors degree in environmental social science from Brigham Young University and her doctoral degree in plant medicine, specializing in plant protection and integrated pest management, from the University of Florida. She is married and currently lives with her family in Fayetteville.

Sarah is a small farmer. She was previously the director of food safety for the Aquaponics Association in Florida, then a food safety auditor for World Quality Services (WQS). She is currently a podcast host and producer for her own company, Farm to Taber, and works as Boto Waterworks as a farm & food systems trainer.

Sarah Taber's campaign for commissioner of agriculture is her first entry into politics.

Candidate website

Supports promoting agriculture in North Carolina's Appalachia, countering the misconception that it's unsuitable for farming, by highlighting its potential for profitable crops and significant economic benefits for mountain farmers.

The candidate's website says, "North Carolina is ideal for high-value crops like berries, carrots, celery, sweet corn, tree nuts, pumpkins, and orchard fruit. These crops can bring 10-100x more revenue than North Carolina’s current standbys like corn, soy, and tobacco."

Said, "North Carolina is ideal for high-value crops like berries, carrots, celery, sweet corn, tree nuts, pumpkins, and orchard fruit. These crops can bring 10-100x more revenue than North Carolina’s current standbys like corn, soy, and tobacco."

Believes North Carolina should capitalize on agriculture by growing hemp and cannabis, and expanding fruit and vegetable production, to increase income, create jobs, and prevent farmland loss to real estate development.

Supports strengthening farm economies beyond agriculture by developing facilities for food processing, advocating for fair wages for skilled workers, and investing in rural infrastructure to enhance local revenue and economic impact.

Wants to develop more facilities for food processing, specifically amongst rural communities.

Supports creating allergen-free rental spaces for food companies, to boost North Carolina's economy by $1.5B annually and generate rural jobs, particularly revitalizing former mill towns with skilled labor and rail infrastructure.

Supports creating allergen-free rental spaces for food companies, saying "Capturing just 5% of that market would bring $1.5B to our state each year" and would "bring high-value jobs to former mill towns."

- Supports promoting agriculture in North Carolina's Appalachia, countering the misconception that it's unsuitable for farming, by highlighting its potential for profitable crops and significant economic benefits for mountain farmers.
- Said, "North Carolina is ideal for high-value crops like berries, carrots, celery, sweet corn, tree nuts, pumpkins, and orchard fruit. These crops can bring 10-100x more revenue than North Carolina’s current standbys like corn, soy, and tobacco."
- Believes North Carolina should capitalize on agriculture by growing hemp and cannabis, and expanding fruit and vegetable production, to increase income, create jobs, and prevent farmland loss to real estate development.
- Wants to develop more facilities for food processing, specifically amongst rural communities.
- Supports creating allergen-free rental spaces for food companies, saying "Capturing just 5% of that market would bring $1.5B to our state each year" and would "bring high-value jobs to former mill towns."

Agriculture & Food

News & Observer, voter guide

North Carolina Health News, Sarah Taber

Supports the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality's proposed rules to regulate 'forever' chemical pollution in drinking water.

Supports addressing the financial risks of spring droughts to the agricultural sector by diversifying into more drought-resistant crops like fruits and vegetables.

Believes climate change poses a risk. Supports addressing the financial risks of spring droughts to the agricultural sector by diversifying into more drought-resistant crops like fruits and vegetables.

Believes that increased forest fire risks are due to building new neighborhoods in forests, longer hotter dry spells, and reduced firefighting force.

Believes that increased forest fire risks are due to building new neighborhoods in forests, longer hotter dry spells due to climate change, and a reduced firefighting force.

- Supports the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality's proposed rules to regulate 'forever' chemical pollution in drinking water.
- Believes climate change poses a risk. Supports addressing the financial risks of spring droughts to the agricultural sector by diversifying into more drought-resistant crops like fruits and vegetables.
- Believes that increased forest fire risks are due to building new neighborhoods in forests, longer hotter dry spells due to climate change, and a reduced firefighting force.

Energy & the Environment

The candidate's website says, "in additional impacts. Meanwhile, tomato canneries can provide accessible rural jobs with fewer health, pollution, and property value hazards than those associated with meat plants."

Supports investing in tomato processing and believes it can provide accessible rural jobs with fewer health, pollution, and property value hazards than those associated with meat plants.

- Supports investing in tomato processing and believes it can provide accessible rural jobs with fewer health, pollution, and property value hazards than those associated with meat plants.

Labor

Supports investing in rural North Carolina by promoting ownership models like profit-sharing and cooperatives, which retain revenue locally and enhance rural economies, citing Mt. Olive Pickle Company's success as an example.

Supports grants and private investment to build facilities that process high-value crops into groceries.

The candidate's website says, "Solution: Simple supply chain investments. By investing in pack and processing facilities, better financing for farmers, and worker housing, our state can unlock billions of dollars in growth for North Carolina’s western mountains."

Says, "By investing in pack and processing facilities, better financing for farmers, and worker housing, our state can unlock billions of dollars in growth for North Carolina’s western mountains."

The candidate's website says, "Additionally, specialty food handling is a great fit to bring high-value jobs to former mill towns. These have highly-skilled workforces, good rail infrastructure, and an urgent need for new employment."

Advocates for specialty food handling, saying it "is a great fit to bring high-value jobs to former mill towns. These have highly-skilled workforces, good rail infrastructure, and an urgent need for new employment."

Said, "We need on-ramps for new people to become farmers. We need fair funding for Black and other marginalized farmers, who are on the leading edge of farm loss in North Carolina."

The candidate's website says, "By updating the way we do agriculture to include more produce, we have an amazing opportunity to grow our economy by as much as seven billion dollars over the next decade."

Says, "By updating the way we do agriculture to include more produce, we have an amazing opportunity to grow our economy by as much as seven billion dollars over the next decade."

- Supports investing in rural North Carolina by promoting ownership models like profit-sharing and cooperatives, which retain revenue locally and enhance rural economies, citing Mt. Olive Pickle Company's success as an example.
- Supports grants and private investment to build facilities that process high-value crops into groceries.
- Says, "By investing in pack and processing facilities, better financing for farmers, and worker housing, our state can unlock billions of dollars in growth for North Carolina’s western mountains."
- Advocates for specialty food handling, saying it "is a great fit to bring high-value jobs to former mill towns. These have highly-skilled workforces, good rail infrastructure, and an urgent need for new employment."
- Said, "We need on-ramps for new people to become farmers. We need fair funding for Black and other marginalized farmers, who are on the leading edge of farm loss in North Carolina."
- Says, "By updating the way we do agriculture to include more produce, we have an amazing opportunity to grow our economy by as much as seven billion dollars over the next decade."

Economy

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Sarah Taber

News & Observer, Voter guide

He is currently retired and says he is "most famous for delivering pizza."

Ballotpedia, Sean Haugh

Sean Haugh previously ran for North Carolina House of Representative District 31 in 2020 and 2022 but did not win.

As of June 14, 2024, Sean Haugh’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Supports the proposed rules by the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality to regulate some ‘forever’ chemical pollution in drinking water supplies in North Carolina.

- Supports the proposed rules by the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality to regulate some ‘forever’ chemical pollution in drinking water supplies in North Carolina.

Branch Politics Candidate Survey

The candidate's website says, "All peaceful people should be able to live their lives as they see fit without government discriminating against them. We must reduce taxes and regulatory burdens so you can have the prosperity to realize your dreams easily and comfortably."

Said, "We must reduce taxes and regulatory burdens so you can have the prosperity to realize your dreams easily and comfortably."

- Said, "We must reduce taxes and regulatory burdens so you can have the prosperity to realize your dreams easily and comfortably."
- Supports marijuana legalization.

Sean Haugh

Steve was raised in Browns Summit. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in conservation with a concentration in environmental studies from North Carolina State University. He is married to his wife, Sharon, and together they have two grown sons, two daughters-in-law, and five grandchildren.

Steve is the founder, owner, and operator of Troxler Farms, where he has produced tobacco, wheat, vegetables, and soybeans. He has also served as the president of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) and is the former chairman of NASDA's Food Regulation and Nutrition Committee.

Steve Troxler currently serves as the commissioner of agriculture for North Carolina. He was first elected in 2005 and is serving his 5th term.

The candidate's website says, "Since taking office in 2005, Troxler has focused on developing new markets for N.C. farm products, preserving working farms and protecting the state’s food supply."

According to his website, as commissioner of agriculture, focused on "developing new markets for N.C. farm products, preserving working farms, and protecting the state’s food supply."

Plans to continue aiding the agricultural community through disaster response and service, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler commits to a sixth term, citing a calling to help people amid challenges faced by North Carolina's state and farmers.

Plans to continue aiding the agricultural community through disaster response and service.

The candidate's website says, "The “Got To Be NC” agricultural marketing program has been a huge success... The campaign started as an extension of the “Goodness Grows in North Carolina” program to raise awareness of agricultural products grown, raised, caught or made right here in North Carolina."

Supports the “Got To Be NC” agricultural marketing program, which raises awareness of North Carolinan agricultural products, and believes it has been a major success.

Supports local meat production, noting a rise from one registered meat handler in 2002 to 850, highlighting increased farmer control and consumer access to fresh, local meats.

Supports local meat production, saying "In 2002 there was only one farmer registered as a meat handler. As of last year, the division had registered 850 farmers."

- According to his website, as commissioner of agriculture, focused on "developing new markets for N.C. farm products, preserving working farms, and protecting the state’s food supply."
- Plans to continue aiding the agricultural community through disaster response and service.
- Supports the “Got To Be NC” agricultural marketing program, which raises awareness of North Carolinan agricultural products, and believes it has been a major success.
- Supports local meat production, saying "In 2002 there was only one farmer registered as a meat handler. As of last year, the division had registered 850 farmers."

NC Ag Partnership, Agenda for next 4 years: Tuesdays with Troxler

Supports the Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund's efforts in conserving over 10,000 acres and funding 47 projects, including farmers markets and agribusiness initiatives, since 2005.

Supports the Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund, saying it "has conserved more than 40,000 acres of working farms and forests from development through conservation easements".

Believes solar development is a threat to farmland.

Believes in protecting farmland and forest land and has partnered with the Department of Defense to preserve land. Believes solar development is a threat to farmland.

- Supports the Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund, saying it "has conserved more than 40,000 acres of working farms and forests from development through conservation easements".
- Believes in protecting farmland and forest land and has partnered with the Department of Defense to preserve land. Believes solar development is a threat to farmland.

As of June 14, 2024, Steve Troxler’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Believes in the growth of agriculture as North Carolina's top economic sector, highlighting its rise from $59 billion to over $103 billion and the state's leadership in various crops and livestock.

- Believes in the growth of agriculture as North Carolina's top economic sector, highlighting its rise from $59 billion to over $103 billion and the state's leadership in various crops and livestock.

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Steve Troxler

- The Commissioner of Agriculture protects, maintains, and enhances the ability of agriculture to produce food. 
- The Commissioner of Agriculture enforces regulations dealing with agriculture needed to supply food.
- The Commissioner of Agriculture oversees an office of over 2,000 employees. 
- The Commissioner of Agriculture is elected for a four-year term. The position has no term limits.

Oversees regulation of agriculture and food production in North Carolina

North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture

Candidates (3)

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Agriculture & Food

Energy & the Environment

Labor

Economy