State Sen. Jack Williams (R-Wilmer) officially announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries on Thursday.
Williams is a fourth-generation farmer from South Alabama who grew up on his family's farm and continues to work there today.
Williams said he wants to preserve the career of farming.
"I'm concerned about the state of our agribusiness in Alabama," Williams said. "I look around today and I wonder, who is going to be growing crops and herding cattle a decade from now. The average farmer in our state is 60-years-old and most are just one bad season away from total collapse, and that's not right. America, and Alabama, must stand independent and provide for citizens and without international dependence and I want to do everything within my power to protect our farmers and preserve Alabama’s food source."
Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate is term-limited from seeking re-election in 2026. Other candidates who are running for the office are Christina Woerner McInnis and Corey Hill.
“Representing Senate District 34 has been an honor of a lifetime, and I've learned a lot about how to get things done in the world of politics, but there is more to be done. With the voters' support, when I am elected as Commissioner of Agriculture, we will build on our previous accomplishments and work with President Trump's team to strengthen Alabama. As Ag Commissioner, I will work to cut red tape and senseless regulations that have hindered of our farms for far too long,” Williams said.
Williams said he fully supports Trump's tariff efforts.
"The President is on the right track in this levy of agricultural tariffs against other countries. The imported beef and crops from communist countries and those without significant labor costs are killing the American farmer,” Williams said. “In south Alabama, the international seafood imports are destroying our seafood business. In the central parts of our state, the catfish farmers are being impacted by the foreign competition and the list goes on and on. In some cases, the foreign products might be cheaper for the consumer in some instances but cheaper is not always better. We are sacrificing quality and we are risking losing America's independence of essential food sources.”
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