I'm not sure if there is a position that I'm less excited to research than this one...but here goes nothing.
The Commissioner of Agriculture is in charge of a whole laundry list of things including gas pumps and grocery stores. It is no doubt an important job that touches each of our lives daily in some way.
Our two candidates are Gary Black and Fred Swann. Both candidates have informative websites and I also read the questions & answers with both candidates published by Atlanta Magazine.
Gary Black has held the position since 2010. He was re-elected in 2014. He was raised by a family of farmers and currently manages a farm where he raises beef cattle in Commerce. I'm all about people actually having experience in the field that they're seeking an office (see my post on the state school superintendent candidates).
Fred Swann also has farming experience, albeit less extensive than Black's. Reading through Swann's biography on his website, I am led to believe that he may be a career politician although I do not doubt his genuine interest in the position.
Reading through the aforementioned article from Atlanta Magazine's website, I noticed some distinct differences between candidates on several issues. Swann speaks directly about puppy mills along with animal welfare for farm animals. We have rescued several dogs through DREAM rescue in Atlanta and they seem to be taking in dogs that have been rescued from puppy mills with alarming frequency. Black makes no mention of this issue on his site, although he does seem hopeful that the spay/neuter license plate sales will make more money to support local animal control measures.
Another issue on which the candidates differ is on cannabis and hemp production in Georgia. Black does not mention it on his website, but does address the issue in the Atlanta magazine article. He's against it in a nutshell. He mentions that we need to put standards and controls in place before we're ready to begin production in Georgia. Here's what Swann has on his website:
The Commissioner of Agriculture is in charge of a whole laundry list of things including gas pumps and grocery stores. It is no doubt an important job that touches each of our lives daily in some way.
Our two candidates are Gary Black and Fred Swann. Both candidates have informative websites and I also read the questions & answers with both candidates published by Atlanta Magazine.
Gary Black has held the position since 2010. He was re-elected in 2014. He was raised by a family of farmers and currently manages a farm where he raises beef cattle in Commerce. I'm all about people actually having experience in the field that they're seeking an office (see my post on the state school superintendent candidates).
Fred Swann also has farming experience, albeit less extensive than Black's. Reading through Swann's biography on his website, I am led to believe that he may be a career politician although I do not doubt his genuine interest in the position.
Reading through the aforementioned article from Atlanta Magazine's website, I noticed some distinct differences between candidates on several issues. Swann speaks directly about puppy mills along with animal welfare for farm animals. We have rescued several dogs through DREAM rescue in Atlanta and they seem to be taking in dogs that have been rescued from puppy mills with alarming frequency. Black makes no mention of this issue on his site, although he does seem hopeful that the spay/neuter license plate sales will make more money to support local animal control measures.
Another issue on which the candidates differ is on cannabis and hemp production in Georgia. Black does not mention it on his website, but does address the issue in the Atlanta magazine article. He's against it in a nutshell. He mentions that we need to put standards and controls in place before we're ready to begin production in Georgia. Here's what Swann has on his website:
While I understand Black's call for regulation and standards to be in place, I also sense that Georgia is going to miss the boat and Black doesn't convey any urgency in addressing the issue.
One of these candidates comes across as very formal, traditional, while the other is definitely more progressive. I get the sense that Black drives the speed limit exactly everywhere he goes and he's happy with that life. However, I'm very intrigued by the angle that Swann brings to the position as a person with autism. He comments on his website and in the article on how working in agriculture was therapeutic for him. Overall, I get the impression that Swann cares about the people (local farmers, school children, migrant workers) involved in agriculture as well as the animals.
There are many more issues related to these candidates that I urge you to read about. I have only touched on a couple issues that make sense to me.
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