Stacy Garrity

Kent Leonhardt uses his military training to better plan agricultural distribution and availability to ensure that citizens have access to a safe food supply.

Kent Leonhardt understands the difficulty our veterans face when they transition out of the military. He has expanded the Homegrown by Heroes program to get more of our veterans established in agriculture.

West Virginia’s rural population has limited access to fresh foods. Kent Leonhardt has ensured these food deserts has nutritional food by linking locally grown produce through farm stands and markets to citizens.

Kent Leonhardt supports initiatives that teach consumers about where food comes from and champions programs that allow non-farmers to develop a stronger connection to West Virginia’s farms.

Kent Leonhardt has encouraged expanding agriculture in urban areas. He has also helped promote and grow our specialty food businesses to better enable West Virginia products to be sold within and outside of West Virginia.

Kent Leonhardt supports efforts to grow the Tourism industry within West Virginia by expanding the opportunities for Agritourism. Agritourism is currently one of the fastest growing sources of farm revenue in the United States.

Kent Leonhardt believes the job of our government is to work to encourage a free market that will create growth of all businesses, rather than cavalierly eliminating jobs and destroying local economies with lawsuits and burdensome regulations.

Kent Leonhardt supports agricultural education in every way possible.  He is an advocate for FFA, the Beginner Farmer Program, and 4-H all across West Virginia.  These programs not only prepare West Virginia’s young people for successful careers in agriculture, but they teach students leadership skills that will benefit them in all facets of life, no matter what careers they choose.