Colby Hammonds
Colby Hammonds (Republican Party) ran for election for North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture. He lost in the Republican primary on March 5, 2024.
Hammonds completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Colby "Bear" Hammonds was born in and lives in North Carolina. Hammonds earned an undergraduate degree in animal science from North Carolina University, a master's degree of strategic studies from the United States Army War College, an M.B.A. with a marketing certification from North Carolina State University, a master of trust and wealth management degree from Campbell University, and an Army cost management certification from the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, California.[1] Hammonds served in the North Carolina Army National Guard and the United States Army Reserve.[2] His career experience includes working on a farm.[3]
Elections
2024
See also: North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner election, 2024
General election
General election for North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture
Incumbent Steve Troxler defeated Sarah Taber and Sean Haugh in the general election for North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Steve Troxler (R) | 52.6 | 2,922,483 |
 | Sarah Taber (D)  | 44.9 | 2,496,474 | |
 | Sean Haugh (L) | 2.4 | 135,513 | |
| Total votes: 5,554,470 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Sarah Taber advanced from the Democratic primary for North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture.
Republican primary election
Republican primary for North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture
Incumbent Steve Troxler defeated Colby Hammonds in the Republican primary for North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Steve Troxler | 69.1 | 644,720 |
 | Colby Hammonds | 30.9 | 288,347 | |
| Total votes: 933,067 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Libertarian primary election
The Libertarian primary election was canceled. Sean Haugh advanced from the Libertarian primary for North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture.
Campaign finance
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Hammonds in this election.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Colby Hammonds completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Hammonds' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I am a retired United States Army Colonel with over 33 years of military service with the North Carolina Army National Guard and Army Reserve. I have completed two successful combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.
I have been an active member of several Agriculture-related boards and committees. I am also an active leader with my son's Boy Scout of America den.- Support for Producers: Small-scale farmers and producers are vital to the state's economy. Small-scale family farmers are the backbones of our larger-scale operations within our State. I will advocate for policies that protect and support all levels of agriculture businesses within our state.
- I am committed to bolstering North Carolina's food security by promoting local agriculture and strengthening the resilience of our food supply chain. Food Security, food insecurity, and food deserts all interact with each other.
- I understand the importance of preserving the family farm's way of life. We need to ensure that farming remains a viable and attractive career option for future generations. I grew up on a farm, which is the only life I’ve known. From 4H as a kid to being a board member of several agricultural-related organizations, my heart and passion have never left the farm. It's not for everyone, but everyone needs a farm. When my father was born, there were 20 million farmers; when I was born, that number dropped to 10 million; when my son was born, the number dropped to 2 million. So, less than 1.5% of the population feeds the other 98.5%.
Key strengths include:
Agricultural Background: Raised on a family farm, where I gained firsthand experience in farming from an early age. This upbringing instilled in me a deep understanding of the agricultural sector, particularly in areas like livestock and crop farming.
Military Service: With over 33 years of service in the North Carolina Army National Guard and the United States Army Reserves, I have developed strong leadership skills and discipline, attributes valuable in a public service role.
Educational Qualifications: I have achieved multiple advanced degrees, including:
BS degree in Animal Science from North Carolina State University
Master of Trust & Wealth Management from Campbell University
Master of Business Administration with a Marketing Certification from North Carolina State University
Master of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College.
This educational background equips me with a broad understanding of agriculture operations, management, finance, and strategic planning.
Commitment to Food Security and Producers: I will emphasize the importance of food security, supporting producers, and preserving the family farm way of life during my campaign. I will focus on creating policies that sustain and attract future generations to farming.
Community Involvement: My role as a Den Leader with the Boy Scouts of America, Big Brother Big Sister mentor, and deep roots in the local community shows a history of commitment to civic engagement and leadership development in youth.
I joined the North Carolina Army National Guard directly out of high school at eighteen. I enlisted as a 19K Armor soldier, and after five years, I enrolled in Officer Candidate School. I received my commission to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant in August 1995. I completed 33+ years of Army Reserves & Army National Guard and retired with the rank of Colonel. Throughout my military career, I have served in various military roles, from Platoon leader to Battalion Commander, including Pentagon assignments.
I completed two combat deployments as an attack helicopter pilot to Afghanistan in 2003 and Iraq in 2008. As the Commander in Afghanistan, I received the Bronze Star Medal. I completed over six years as the North Carolina Army National Guard Financial Manager. My last military duty assignment was as the Director of the Accounting Division at United States Army Forces Command stationed at Fort Liberty, NC. I supervised a team of eighteen financial managers and over $5 Billion accounts.
"Food Security" and "Agri-Security" are related concepts that pertain to the availability, access, and stability of food production and distribution. Food security refers to a state where all households have consistent access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.
Agri-Security is a concept that is closely related to food security but specifically focuses on the security and resilience of agricultural systems and food production. It encompasses measures to protect and ensure the stability of the agricultural sector, which is crucial for maintaining food security.
Agri-Security is vital for maintaining food security, as agricultural disruptions can have far-reaching consequences for a nation's ability to produce and distribute food. By focusing on Agri-Security, governments and organizations can mitigate risks and enhance the stability and resilience of the agricultural sector to support long-term Food Security.
BS degree in Animal Science from North Carolina State University
Master of Trust & Wealth Management from Campbell University
Master of Business Administration with a Marketing Certification from North Carolina State University
Master of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College
State-issued licenses include North Carolina Department of Agriculture Ground Commercial Pesticide Applicator and North Carolina Real Estate Commission License Broker-in-Charge for Pecan Realty.
"It's pasture bedtime!"
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign website
Hammonds’s campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
Food Security Support for Producers Preserving the Family Farm |
” |
| —Colby Hammonds’s campaign website (2024)[5] | ||
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Elect Colby Bear Hammonds, "Growing up on the farm," accessed February 20, 2024
- ↑ Elect Colby Bear Hammonds, "Military service," accessed February 20, 2024
- ↑ Elect Colby Bear Hammonds, "Hammonds Land & Cattle," accessed February 20, 2024
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Elect Colby Bear Hammonds, “Home,” accessed February 20, 2024
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