The Times West Virginian

Opinion

October 31, 2008

Teets wants to do more as agriculture commissioner

We believe that Michael Teets has a winning campaign under way for the job of West Virginia’s commissioner of agriculture.

We hope the general public feels the same way.

Mike Teets is a Hardy County farmer who is opposing Democratic incumbent Gus Douglass, a man who has served in the post 40 years — or 10 four-year terms. Douglass was elected agriculture commissioner six times between 1964 and 1984 and has won four more terms since 1992.

Douglass has given good service to the state.

But Teets, a 14-year county commissioner in Hardy County, brings into this race the experience to be a strong state commissioner and the dedication to do an excellent job.

Teets believes that if someone like him doesn’t step up and run for the West Virginia commissioner of agriculture, the state’s food supplies are going to be in the same shape our energy situation is. And that’s not good.

He believes that food safety is a hot topic in the Mountain State.

“If we have a major outbreak of e-coli or something of that order, West Virginia is not prepared to handle that right now,” he said.

He believes that the state needs to have a team in place where everyone would know exactly what they are supposed to do to get it fixed up in a matter of days.

“But right now,” he said, “since we don’t have that, and if we’re not prepared, we’re going to be in a serious situation.”

The recent closing of the large apple plant in Musselman really bothers him.

“No one from the Department of Agriculture in Charleston went to negotiate with those people. I think they would have left it here if someone had gone to talk with them. They only moved it 60 miles away. I feel if the governor or the commissioner went to talk with these people, they would have left it in Musselman. Right now there’s nothing being done to keep these industries here.”

Teets knows the number of farms in West Virginia is really dwindling. The Mountain State had some 30,000 farms in the 1960s. We have only 21,000 today. He has a plan to maintain West Virginia farms rather than to maintain the status quo. And the status quo is that the state is losing more farms with each passing day.

There was a case in Hampshire County recently when, following a rabies outbreak, all members of the cattle were killed rather than just the few animals that were infected. This was all done at taxpayer expense and, as Teets says, “it was an awful lot of our money spent for nothing.”

Teets says he has nothing at all against the present commissioner.

“But there is potential throughout this whole state to produce so much more, but it’s just not being done.” he added.

Teets seems to be the man who can get the agriculture department rolling again.

The agriculture commissioner race is not one of the most publicized. But it is an extremely important one for many of the state’s people.

The Times West Virginian wholeheartedly endorses Republican Mike Teets — who wants things to be better in your life.

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