Seth Champion (Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor, North Carolina, candidate 2024)
Seth Champion (No Party Affiliation) ran for election to Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor in North Carolina on November 5, 2024.[1]
Elections
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Seth Champion completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Champion's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Hello! My name is Seth Champion, and I am 27 years old. My wife, Brooke, and I moved back home to Franklinton in 2020. After proudly graduating from Franklinton High School, Brooke and I both attended NC State University. I received a Bachelor's degree in Natural Resources - Policy and Administration with a minor in Agricultural Business Management. I later received a Master’s degree in Forestry from Mississippi State University.
I currently work as a Quality Supervisor with the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau. In this role, I am responsible for conducting quality control audits at lumber manufacturing and treating facilities in North Carolina and Virginia. I also own and operate Champion Family Farms, which is a small beef cattle operation in Franklin County focused on freezer beef production.
Along with these roles, I have been serving as an Associate District Supervisor on the Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District Board since May 2021. I have learned a tremendous amount about soil and water conservation in this County during these past three years. Franklin County is my home. Our County is home to a diverse landscape of cropland, pastures, forests, creeks, lakes, and the Tar River. My hope is that through conserving the soil and water resources that we have been blessed with, the next generations will be able to enjoy this beautiful landscape, along with Franklin County continuing to be a leader in North Carolina agricultural and timber production.
- Agriculture and forestry need to remain a priority in Franklin County. We can accomplish this through stewarding and conserving the natural resources we have been blessed with. The continual loss of farmland shows us that the less than 2% of agricultural producers in the U.S. must adapt to produce more on and with less. Agriculture is the number one industry in North Carolina with an economic value of over $100 billion. Food, fiber, and forestry production are not only ways of life for many North Carolinians, but a key driver in the lives of Franklin County residents. This County is unique in its ability to produce high quality livestock, food and cash crops, and timber. Resilient soil and water resources will help maintain this ability.
- Increased focus should be placed on educating and providing resources to small farmers and landowners on conservation practices and efforts in the County. Programs designed to conserve soil and water resources are not just reserved for larger farmers. Franklin County has become the third fastest growing county in North Carolina. Over the last few years of growth here, many people have bought smaller farms or subdivided acres of larger farms and/or timberland. If natural resources on these smaller tracts are not stewarded properly, the cumulative results could be detrimental to the greater landscape. We also need buy-in from the owners of these smaller properties to support County soil and water conservation efforts.
- Coordination with local government officials from other boards and departments is imperative to help Franklin County move forward in the right direction. The Soil and Water Conservation District Board can provide valuable input of the needs of our farmers, forest landowners, and citizens broadly. Discussion on issues such as farmland preservation in the County can be much more productive when multiple stakeholders are on the same page. At the end of the day, we all want to make sure we do what is right for the natural resources contained in the County, as well as all of its citizens.
To be known as a loving husband, father, and friend. I also hope that people would remember me as a hard worker.
Honesty, integrity, and kindness. The "Beatitudes" in Matthew 5:3-12 describe what people representing us in an elected office should be striving to be like.
Here are three core responsibilities I believe someone elected as a Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor should strive to implement:
1. To advocate for the conservation of natural resources in Franklin County. Local Supervisors can provide superior, local solutions to resource concerns. 2. To advocate for the families that farm and produce timber in Franklin County. 3. To educate County citizens on the importance of taking care of the soil and water resources that we have been entrusted with.
As an honest taxpayer, I believe I have a right to know where the dollars I work so hard for are going. While I am very appreciative that government leaders take on the responsibility of administering many critical services, I believe myself and all other citizens should be aware of what our tax dollars are being spent on and why. In accordance with that, if citizens do not agree on how those tax dollars are being used, there should be appropriate channels to express that dissent. I also feel extremely blessed that we live in a country that has a democracy where if a citizen is unhappy with the leadership in office, they can freely vote for someone who they think will do a better job. When a government official or office says they are going to do something, they should be accountable for doing it. Changing course is fine and many times necessary, but there should always be an explanation as to why courses have changed.
Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District Board meetings are always open to the public. The Board does a great job in being financially transparent, being accountable to Franklin County and its citizens, and following NC G.S. 139, which is essentially the original charter for creation and powers of all the Soil and Water Conservation Districts in North Carolina.
First, I am passionate about any policies that help to improve the lives of the people producing our food and fiber. Without them, we would not have food in our bellies, clothes on our backs, or homes to live in. This includes federal legislation such as the Farm Bill, which is the single largest outlay of funding for the conservation of natural resources in the U.S. Second, I am passionate about local policies that support sustainable growth. While development is inevitable and reasonably necessary, County leadership should take measures to ensure that growth is sustainable and not rushed. Further, this growth needs to allow for our farmers and forest landowners to continue to produce the food and fiber we desperately depend on them for.
Growing up before we moved to Franklinton in 2010, my family had a horse farm in Stokes County, NC. The horses were raised as show horses, so I learned to ride at a very young age. My first job was helping my dad around the farm. He would have me help clean stalls, pick up rocks around the riding ring, and stack hay (when I was strong enough to pick the bales up). I remember when I was about eight years old, I was riding in the barn and got bucked off. Embarrassed and frustrated, I got back up and told my dad that I was done for the day. When he told me that I was not leaving until I got back on the horse, I got more upset. I went and sat in his truck for about 30 minutes and when I came back, my dad was standing in the same spot with the horse, waiting for me to get back in the saddle. I climbed back on and did not get bucked off again (that day). I am thankful for these important lessons that I was able to learn on the farm at such a young age!
My mother. She has always worked so hard to provide for my sisters and I. Her strength, courage, and perseverance are second to none!
All seven of the Harry Potter books. Though I might not have read them all yet, my wife (she has read them several times over) and I love to talk about them and watch the movies together!
Why do cows have hooves instead of feet? Because they lactose!
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External links
[1] ↑ Submitted to Ballotpedia's candidate survey in 2024.
