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Agriculture is South Carolina’s number one industry, generating more than $51 billion in economic impact every year and supporting over 259,000 jobs statewide. Those numbers aren’t created in government offices or by government bureaucrats. They’re created by farmers, ranchers, foresters, truck drivers, processors, and small business owners who take risks every day to feed, clothe, and fuel our state.
For those of us who truly make our living in agriculture, South Carolina agriculture is more than an industry, though. It is our way of life. And the real challenges faced by real farmers have never been greater.
Our farmers are responsible for feeding our families, supporting our local economies, and sustaining communities across every corner of our state. But today, farmers face rising fuel costs, higher equipment prices, labor shortages, burdensome regulations, and increasing uncertainty in the marketplace.
For me and my family farm, every season brings new risks. And every year requires difficult decisions. Our success is never guaranteed. That is why I believe the next Commissioner of Agriculture should be someone who understands these challenges firsthand. Not from reading reports. Not from attending meetings. Not from managing programs in Columbia or Washington, D.C. But from living it.
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For my entire life, I have worked in agriculture. I know what it means to invest my own money in a crop and pray fervently for the weather to cooperate. I know what it means to watch costs rise while margins shrink. I know what it means to build a business, create jobs, risk hard-earned capital, and work long hours to provide for my family.
Agriculture is not a talking point for me. It is my life’s work.
As I have traveled the state during this campaign, I have been encouraged by the support I have received from farmers, agricultural leaders, and conservative voters who want strong leadership at the Department of Agriculture. I have also been humbled to earn the support of my former Republican opponents who share my belief that South Carolina agriculture deserves a commissioner with real-world experience.
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Their support reinforces a simple truth: this race is not about personalities. It’s not about endorsements from Washington. D.C. or the politicians in Columbia. It’s about who is best prepared to serve the people of South Carolina.
The Commissioner of Agriculture should be a farmer, not a government bureaucrat who talks farming. This job requires someone who understands the challenges facing producers because they have faced those same challenges themselves.
If elected, I will work every day to support South Carolina agriculture, protect private property rights, promote our state’s agricultural products, and ensure that farmers have a strong voice in state government. Most importantly, I will never forget who I work for.
The future of South Carolina agriculture depends on leaders who understand the industry from the ground up. Leaders who have lived the challenges, shared the risks, and earned the trust of the people they serve.
That is the perspective I will bring as your next Commissioner of Agriculture. I would be honored to earn your vote.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Danny Lee Ford II is a South Carolina farmer, business owner, husband, father, pilot and lifelong advocate for the land and the people who depend on it.
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