Mike Teets, GOP candidate for Ag Commissioner

Transcript of interview with Michael Teets:

I am Michael Teets. I was born in Hardy County, lived there for 56 years, except for the years that I spent in college. Went to Mathias High School, got my high school degree there. I got my business degree from college from Kemper Military Academy in Boonville, Missouri.

I’ve been married for 35 years. I have two children; I have a daughter that is a veterinarian, she has an animal hospital in Lost River. I have a son that will be 31 in October; he’s in business with me on the farm. He has three children, which are three grandsons for me that we’re very proud of. 

I was County Commissioner in Hardy County for 14 years. I’m currently vice-president on the Rural Development Authority in our County. I’ve been very instrumental over the years in working hard for our County, working with the people in our County to give them all the service that I could. 

Well, I just think that they should look at me real hard because of my agricultural background; of being in business, being in Ag for 35 years. Being a public servant as County Commissioner. Being on Rural Development Authority, developing things throughout our County. It's, my whole background, is related to Ag and serving the people of this State. And I feel that I’m really qualified for this position.

It’s time that we have a different look in that office; somebody with fresher ideas. And somebody that’s actually been involved like I have been. It’s time that we just, we have somebody new in there to get us started again. Our department has kind of been in a stagnant situation for the last ten or fifteen years. And we need to jumpstart that and get going again.

The greatest challenge for West Virginia farmers today is fuel costs, fertilizer costs. Being able to produce what we need in this State and throughout this country in the next years at affordable prices.  To deliver the food to you all at a cost that you can afford and to give you the quality food that you need. 

My main objective is to bring fresh, safe and affordable food to the people of West Virginia. And by doing that we have considerable farmer’s markets over the State. A lot of the produce there now is local, but most of it is trucked in. And we need to get our farms in West Virginia producing the food, the fresh food that we need here to keep the jobs here.

You know if we get our farms started and we get to raising fresh produce it’s going to create jobs, it’s going to keep our West Virginians here. We have considerable canneries over the State that have been shut down over the years.

If we raise those products here, open those canneries up and start canning fresh vegetables in this State for West Virginians. And if we have an abundant supply, you know, for other states too, it’ll create a lot of jobs and it’ll just be good for the whole state.