CHARLESTON -
Unlike in years past, this year's race for commissioner of agriculture has drawn plenty of attention.
As current Commissioner Gus Douglass, who has served more than 40 years at the helm of the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, prepares to end his term, five Democrats, one Republican and one unaffiliated candidate are vying for his position.
But this year's primary isn't without contention. Sen. Walt Helmick, D-Pocahontas, has come under fire because some believe he doesn't qualify to run for the position. State code requires the commissioner of agriculture to be a working farmer. While Helmick claims his water bottling company qualifies him, his opponents seem to disagree.
However, in March, Kanawha County Circuit Court Judge Duke Bloom ruled Helmick could stay on the ballot after fellow candidate Joe Starcher challenged Helmick's candidacy.
Starcher is a retired veterinarian and a former Agriculture Department official. His lawsuit cited a state law requiring the commissioner to be a farmer whose chief business has been agriculture for at least 10 years. In his ruling, Bloom concluded that state law can't impose such a limit if it's not also in the constitution.
In addition to his water bottling company, Helmick owns a 200-acre farm and is a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee.
The State Journal reached out to all of the candidates for agriculture commissioner to ask questions about the race, their views on the role of the Department of Agriculture as well as how they would address some key issues facing farmers. Of the seven candidates running, all but Helmick and write-in candidate Carl Andrew Waggoner, of Greenbrier County who is not affiliated with any party, submitted answers for the pre-election comparison.
Douglass has endorsed Steve Miller, a 30-year veteran of the Department of Agriculture. In a news release endorsing Miller, Douglass pointed out that Miller is indeed a farmer. Miller has a degree in agriculture from West Virginia University and currently works as an assistant commissioner with the West Virginia Department of Agriculture.
Sally Shepherd owns a 180-acre farm in Sissonville and grew up on a 600-acre livestock, poultry and crop farm. Shepherd said she would work to promote energy independence by using renewable crop fuel to power farm machinery.
Bob Tabb is another Department of Agriculture employee. The Democrat is a fourth-generation farmer and served four terms in the West Virginia House of Delegates, where he co-chaired the House Agriculture Committee. Tabb currently works as deputy commissioner for the Department of Agriculture, where he works on budget and legislative issues.
Joe Messineo has experience with both the U.S. and West Virginia Departments of Agriculture. He also spent three years in the U.S. Army as a food safety inspector and was a field supervisor for animal health programs for the West Virginia Department of Agriculture for five years. Messineo operates a farm in Roane County and served nearly 19 years on the Roane County Farm Bureau Board of Directors.
After Republican Mike Teets dropped out of the race earlier this year, the GOP replaced him with Kent Leonhardt. Leonhardt is a retired U.S. Marine and operates a once-abandoned farm with his wife. He serves on the Monongalia County Farm Bureau Board of Directors.
After dropping out of the race, Teets threw his support behind Helmick.
The five Democrat candidates will face off in the May 8 primary. The Republican race is uncontested, so Leonhardt will face the winner of the primary in the Nov. 6 general election.
Each candidate's response to The State Journal's questionnaire is listed below. Some answers had to be abbreviated for space.
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