Farmer Nakita Hemingway to run for Ag Commissioner seat

Jun. 21—TIFTON — Nakita Hemingway, a Gwinnett farmer and entrepreneur, formally announced her run for Commissioner of Agriculture for the state of Georgia in Troup County on Saturday.

Hemingway, a cut-flower farmer, Realtor, and mother of four, chose to announce her candidacy on Juneteenth, a commemoration of the official end of slavery more than 2 1/2 years after President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. Hemingway, a Georgia native, has ancestors who were brought here as slaves and became rice farmers in coastal Georgia and South Carolina.

Hemingway said she believes that agriculture is the key to growing Georgia's economy, and she is running a campaign centered around building a world-class food system.

"Our state has so much potential," she said. "We can use agriculture to overcome many challenges around food insecurity, poverty, and economic development in our rural and underserved communities. And with the right leadership, I know that we can build a more prosperous future for all Georgians."

According to campaign strategist Maria Banjo, Hemingway is up to the job.

"Nakita knows first-hand the challenges that many farmers in this state face, and I know she will fight to ensure that every farmer in Georgia has the opportunity to be successful and profitable," Banjo said.

Hemingway has been endorsed by state Rep. Donna McCleod, former state Rep. Curt Thompson, and former candidate for the Georgia Public Service Commission Daniel Blackman. She also has endorsements from organizations including Vote Mama, Our American Dreams, Indivisible Georgia, the Working Families Party, African Women's PAC, and Her Term.

To donate and learn more about the Nakita Hemingway Campaign for Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture, visit www.nakitahemingway.com.