“Grounded in Our Roots, Focused on Our Future”
- DeShawn L. Blanding
issue areas
“Agriculture is the food, fiber, fuel, and forestry we need to sustain ourselves.”
Roughly 95% of South Carolinians are not directly employed in the food and farming sectors, yet 100% are affected by food prices and economic stability. Agriculture is a system, and when one part fails, the whole system feels it: family farms struggle, food becomes less accessible and affordable, rural communities lose opportunity, and our land is pushed beyond its limits. Addressing these challenges requires practical, comprehensive solutions that improve the entire agricultural system and food supply chain.
FROM Producers to PEOPLE
Our GROUNDING PRINCIPLES:
INCREASE ACCESS. LOWER COSTS.
SIMPLER GOVERNMENT. LOCAL SOLUTIONS.
SECURE FARMS. SECURE FOOD.
The Rooted Forward Reset Plan
For over forty years, South Carolina agriculture improved efficiency but did not structurally modernize. South Carolina was ranked the eighth-most threatened state in the nation due to the loss of agricultural land to poorly planned real estate development. At the same time, family farms are disappearing, the average farmer is nearly 60 years old, and South Carolinians struggle to afford or even access quality, nutritious food - ranking 7th in the nation for worst food security.
The next Commissioner must do more than manage a department — they must modernize one. The Rooted Forward platform is built on three pillars grounded in our principles above. Each pillar is grounded in the Commissioner's statutory authority, lived experiences, and the practical needs of South Carolina's farmers, families, and rural communities.
I’m DeShawn Blanding, and I am the only candidate with a plan, ready to do the work!
PILLAR 1: Processing
Building locally-rooted jobs and farm infrastructure.
PILLAR 2: Partnerships
Expanding farm-to-table purchasing.
PILLAR 3: Protection
Keeping our food safe and our working lands.