In April, First Monday was pleased to welcome Fred West, Candidate for South Carolina’s Commissioner of Agriculture.
Mr. West brings decades of leadership in agribusiness and public service. As former Vice President at Amick Farms, Fred helped lead a company employing over 3,500 people across multiple states, overseeing human resources, safety, regulatory affairs, and public relations. After retiring in 2023, he founded West Resources, a consulting firm focused on agriculture and governmental affairs. Most recently, Fred served as Director of Market Development at the South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA). West has also held leadership roles as Chairman of the Palmetto Agribusiness Council and the South Carolina Poultry Federation.
His campaign is centered on putting Farmers First and bringing a business-minded, experienced voice to protect South Carolina’s agricultural heritage, fight burdensome regulations, and push back against radical environmental policies. He also spoke about Defending Our Land by keeping South Carolina land in South Carolina’s hands by preventing foreign adversaries, like Communist China, from buying up farmland and threatening food security. Prioritizing South Carolina-grown products and reducing reliance on imports that undermine our farmers. And Protecting Consumers by ensuring efficiency, accountability, and public trust in inspections of restaurants, processing facilities, gas pumps, and grocery store scales.