On Election Day, Black women in Georgia broke barriers in more ways than one.
Voters there not only elected the first Black woman governor in U.S. history, but also chose Katherine Juhan-Arnold as the state’s first woman and Black commissioner of agriculture.
“Georgia, we did it! I am overwhelmed with gratitude,” Juhan-Arnold wrote in a Facebook statement. “The campaign may be over, but our work is just beginning.”
In her first run for office, the farmer defeated incumbent and seventh-generation farmer Tyler J. Harper. Harper, 40, has been the state’s agriculture commissioner since 2023, and previously served as a state senator from 2013 to 2022. Juhan-Arnold, 37, founded Baby Katie’s Pharm & Kitchen, a nonprofit focused on bringing fresh foods and gardening to low-income communities.
She’ll represent 67,000 farmers, nearly 3,000 of whom are Black. Capital B reached out to Juhan-Arnold but did not hear back.
The win is no small feat for this often overlooked, but powerful role. Every state has a commissioner or secretary of agriculture who shapes farming and environmental policy.
The official oversees and enforces policies and regulations for agriculture, livestock, food safety, forestry, and pest control. The department can conduct gas and oil inspections, administer the National School Lunch Program, inspect grocery stores, or oversee benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the federal supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children known as WIC.
However, only 12 states — mostly in the Southeast — allow voters to elect their commissioners. The rest of the states give that power to the governor, board or commission that appoints their agriculture leader. Historically, white Republican men have held these offices more than other statewide officials combined, according to an analysis by InvestigateMidwest.
This isn’t surprising to John Boyd Jr., president and founder of the National Black Farmers Association. For decades, Black farms have declined, and producers have been pushed out of the industry. They continue to remain underrepresented in positions of power — from the federal Department of Agriculture to state directors and even local-level county committees.
With voters electing Juhan-Arnold, it is vindication for Black farmers, especially women who have been degraded by President Donald Trump and his administration, Boyd added.
“It’s a real leg up for us,” Boyd said. “Having a person who looks like you and can relate to the struggles a Black family farm goes through is a real breakthrough.”
This year, only seven states held elections. Juhan-Arnold wasn’t the only Black person hoping to make history as a state’s top agricultural official. Yet, the three Black men who ran in other states lost those races.
In South Carolina, fourth-generation farmer and Democrat DeShawn Blanding saw an opening to fill the seat, which hadn’t had someone new in office for the past 20 years. With only 45% of the vote, he lost to Republican Cody Simpson, a seventh-generation white farmer. United Citizens Party candidate Chris Nelums, a Black pastor in South Carolina, also faced defeat in the race, receiving less than 1% of the votes.
In Florida, Kyle “KC” Gibson, an AME pastor, ran for agriculture commissioner this year, after unsuccessful bids for governor in 2022, 2018, and 2014, and lieutenant governor in 2022. While he hopes to fulfill his childhood dream of becoming governor one day, the 56-year-old also loves agriculture.
Unlike other agencies, the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services does more than food, water, and agriculture. It issues licenses for private investigators, concealed weapons permits, and conducts inspections for rides at the county fair. As a firearm instructor, former firefighter, and beekeeper hobbyist, Gibson felt this role would be a good fit. His love for agriculture grew through his grandfather, who was a farmer.
He had only three months to campaign, and as a result secured less than 1% of the vote. He lost to incumbent Republican Wilton Simpson. On the campaign trail, he said, many Black voters were not aware of the race, didn’t understand the role of commissioner, or were dismissive of farming.
“Most people are saying, ‘Well, Black people don’t do that.’ I say, ‘Well, how many Black people do you know that are farmers? If you go back two generations, you had some agriculture, and that’s how you survived,” Gibson recalled, as he approached voters.
He added: “It’s very vital, but it’s an under-watched and an underrepresented position. There are still a lot of African Americans that live in rural areas that depend on that department.”
However, he isn’t deterred. He’s already filed paperwork to run again in 2030.
Capital B reached out to Blanding and Nelums, but they didn’t respond by the time of publication.
