Former Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries Commissioner Ron Sparks is considering another run for the office in 2026.
Sparks previously served as commissioner from 2002 to 2010. He also won the Democratic primary for governor in 2010 but lost to Republican Gov. Robert Bentley in the general election.
"We've had a lot of encouragement to do so. Certainly, my heart is in agriculture. I see a lot of the problems that are going on right now with our farmers nearly going broke. To be honest with you, I am contemplating. At this point and time, I have not made my decision completely, but I have had a lot of encouragement across Alabama," Sparks told 1819 News in a recent interview. "I think my record, the eight years that I was there, speaks for itself. When it comes to the three diagnostic labs that we built, the food safety program that we built, the farm-to-school program that we built, (and) the land preservation program that we built. I don't think a lot of that has been done in the last eight years and maybe I'm willing to come back to try to see if we can get it on track and move forward. I haven't made my 100% decision yet. It's a very difficult decision to make, but I am contemplating and I am getting a lot of encouragement."
Sparks said he would "absolutely" be running as a Democrat again if he decides to jump into the race. Qualifying for both parties begins in January.
"I'd run as a Democrat. I'd run on my record. To be honest with you, I never made a decision at the Department of Agriculture based on whether being a Democrat or Republican. Also, I think you can look at my record when I ran for governor. I didn't run away and get in a corner and pout. Gov. Bentley asked me to come aboard and try to work with him. We had a very successful rural development department. We brought telemedicine to the state of Alabama. We did some good projects," Sparks said. "My heart is in Alabama. I think anybody can go back and look at my record for the last 50 years. I've always done what I thought the people of Alabama deserved. I'm not into hatred and division. I'm into trying to do everything I can to help the people of Alabama."
He continued, "I'm not going to insult somebody's intelligence just because I'm going to change the letter behind my name to make them think that my heart is any different like some people do. I'm not going to do that. I don't think anybody can find a decision that I've ever made based on what party I belong to. I've been a Democrat all my life. That's just the way it is. The people of Alabama have supported me. My last Commissioner of Ag race, you can check the records, I won 62 out of 67 counties. I don't have a problem standing up and defending anything we did at the Department of Agriculture. I think we brought it from the bottom to the top. That's why I'm contemplating looking at it again and possibly getting in this race and running. I don't see anything overwhelming that's been done the last few years. I think the vision that I've had when I was at the department, I think it speaks for itself."
Sparks said he planned to attend a Birmingham rally on Friday to support Doug Jones' candidacy for governor. Alabamians might "take a second look" at Democrat candidates in 2026.
"I would think that people would begin to look at things a little differently. [Republicans] have had the last 15 years. We're still at the bottom of the list on basically everything that you can grade us on. Your property tax has gone up, your insurance has gone up, your gas tax has gone up. Montgomery is getting enough of your tax money. I think the people of Alabama may take a second look," Sparks said. "It ain't been too awful long ago that Republicans, Independents, and Democrats supported my campaign because they felt that my heart was in the Department of Ag. I love the farmers of this state. I fought for consumers of this state. I made sure that when you paid for a gallon of gas, you got a gallon of gas."
Sparks added, "The Department of Agriculture in my opinion is one of the most important departments in the state of Alabama. Agriculture is your number one industry in Alabama. I'm not just running because of my ego. My ego left me a long time ago. I care for Alabama. I care for these farmers and they're hurting right now. I want to do everything I can with the experience I've had in the Department of Agriculture to do everything I can to try to help them, be an advocate for them, (and) fight against big industry that seems to hammer them a lot of times as I did before. I think I have the personality and the backbone to do those kinds of things."
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