The Issues At Hand

Upon entering office, Kent recognized a need for direction for the future of West Virginia’s agricultural industry. Kent worked with the members of the West Virginia Agriculture Advisory Committee to develop a strategic plan. The plan identifies the various challenges the industry faces in West Virginia and the state now has a blueprint to help steer the various organizations in developing the agriculture infrastructure necessary to rebuild our rural economies. Kent’s leadership has led to increased cooperation of many NGO’s and government agencies involved in West Virginia’s agricultural industry. In fact, the State Park Farm to Table Dinners was his initiative.

Kent recognizes the value of our livestock industry to our local economies. In fact, his farm in Northern West Virginia raises cattle and protein rich hay. Kent and his wife have also raised sheep, goats, chickens, and some produce. This diverse agricultural background provides Kent with unique and valuable insight into the challenges and opportunities for the future of the industry.

Kent Leonhardt uses his military training to better plan agricultural distribution and availability to ensure that citizens have access to a safe food supply. West Virginia’s rural population has limited access to fresh foods. Kent has worked to improve access to nutritional foods in these “food deserts” by helping link locally grown produce through farm stands and markets to citizens.

As commissioner, Kent supports efforts to improve the efficiency of our livestock, improving access to domestic and international markets and maintaining necessary health certifications. Under Kent’s leadership, West Virginia continues to lead the nation in our efforts for animal traceability. Those efforts are becoming more valuable every day as interests grows about where our food comes from. In the international markets, West Virginia’s genetics and animal proteins are well positioned for new trade agreements that will require traceability of animal products.

Kent has encouraged expansion of agriculture into urban areas. Kent supports initiatives that teach consumers about where food comes from, and champions programs that allow non- farmers to develop a stronger connection to West Virginia’s farms. He is helping to promote and grow our specialty food businesses to better enable West Virginia products to be sold within and outside of West Virginia.

Under Kent’s leadership our hemp program has grown from 8 producers to 150 producers and counting. Kent and his staff are actively working with other state departments of agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture to implement the 2018 Farm Bill. Since the farm bill was signed into law, Kent has been working with his colleagues around the nation to get the USDA to release the rules for the new opportunities offered by industrial hemp.

Kent knows first-hand the difficulty our veterans face when they transition out of the military. Kent has also expanded the “Homegrown by Heroes” program to get more of our veterans established in agriculture. Kent works with Veterans Groups to develop programs that offer opportunities for warriors and veterans to experience different areas of agriculture in hopes of offering them another career choice and heal the unseen wound of war. You can learn more about Homegrown by Heroes at this link.

Kent Leonhardt believes the job of our government is to work to encourage a free market that will create growth of all businesses, rather than cavalierly eliminating jobs and destroying local economies with lawsuits and burdensome regulations.

Kent Leonhardt supports efforts to grow the tourism industry in West Virginia by expanding the opportunities for agritourism. Kent is an avid supporter of Farm to Table/Fork events across the state. These events allow the public to learn firsthand about their dinner, interact with the farmers who grew the food and enjoy a nutritious meal. Numerous other opportunities are available for agriculture to interact with the public and Kent believes we need to focus more efforts to encourage these interactions. Agritourism is currently one of the fastest growing sources of farm revenue in the United States.

Kent supports agricultural education in every way possible. He is an advocate for FFA, 4-H, other youth education programs all across West Virginia. These programs not only prepare West Virginia’s young people for successful careers in agriculture, but they teach students leadership skills that will benefit them in all facets of life, no matter what careers they choose. It says a lot about our young citizens minds that they believe in the future of agriculture as they are enrolling in agriculture education programs while West Virginia’s population declines. The Under Kent’s leadership our hemp program has grown from 8 producers to 150 producers and counting. Kent and his staff are activity working with other state departments of agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture to implement the 2018 Farm Bill. Since the farm bill was signed into law, Kent has been working with his colleagues around the nation to get the USDA to release the rules for the new opportunities offered by industrial hemp. future of agriculture is bright, and it will take the next generation to figure out how to feed over 10 billion people on the planet.

Kent is actively working with private industries to assemble technical expertise and resources to help this industry grow. Under his leadership he is working to build a network of production and processing facilities, which utilize employees who have a challenging past through our prison system.

Under Kent’s leadership, West Virginia has seen Maple Syrup production increase significantly. His office has been working with this industry to continue the growth and market of an important West Virginian product. Kent is also working with researchers to identify other saps to collect for processing into syrups and other consumable products.