Former Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Ron Sparks qualified Monday to run for the office he held for two consecutive terms from 2003 to 2011, launching a return bid centered on experience, consumer protection and what he describes as practical leadership.
Sparks said he is running on the work he has already done in the department, saying “That he stands on his record, fighting for farmers, improving food safety, building three new animal diagnostic labs across the state.”
He also said he wants to restore law enforcement authority within the agency, adding, “He plans to return the Law Enforcement Division back to the Department of Agriculture to help farmers with theft and consumers with fraud across the state.”
Sparks said families across Alabama are struggling with rising costs and that the department should play a direct role in protecting consumers, including ensuring accuracy in fuel sales and other regulated goods.
In his last run for the office, Sparks won 62 of Alabama’s 67 counties, the same election year Republican Gov. Bob Riley was elected.
He closed his announcement with a call for cooperation across party lines, saying, “There’s no place for politics in the Department of Agriculture. I’m will to work with all elected officials to make Alabama the best it can be.”
The race for agriculture commissioner is expected to draw multiple candidates as the 2026 election cycle begins to take shape.
