In her 2022 re-election campaign, the key issues Jenna is focusing on are, in her words:
Supporting Farmers: Farmland loss is a considerable problem we're facing. Wake still has roughly 691 farms situated on over 77,000 acres. Hailing from a family farm, I’ve tirelessly advocated for agriculture and farmland preservation. I have been an outspoken supporter of the District’s Keeping the Farm Workshop, which provides hundreds of farmers yearly with the resources necessary to keep their farms in their families for generations to come. Since the COVID pandemic began, we have actually put recordings from recent years online so farmers all over the county and the state can access trainings and information vital to their success.
We should examine the possibility of placing easements on land and further support our farmland preservation work when that is the best opportunity to keep that land from becoming development property. We've also worked with County Commissioners to establish protections for farms enrolled in our Voluntary Agricultural District program (VAD) and our newer Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District (EVAD) Program. As of FY 20-21, there are over 9,504.02 acres enrolled into this free farmland preservation program. The VAD Advisory Board approved an additional 11 applications in 2020-2021 totaling 750.6 acres. Our tireless advocacy work has led to an official Wake County board and commission which prioritizes agricultural producers, called the Wake County Agricultural Advisory Board.
The Board of Supervisors is also currently engaged with Wake County Commissioners and county staff in developing the new Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) which will have protections for farms and ensure development is mindful of existing agricultural operations. Furthermore, the new UDO will even encourage developers to leave more open space and consider converting said space into agricultural production for additional incentives. This will also help to address localized food insecurity and water quality issues by reducing impervious surfaces and runoff issues.
Environmental Education Programming: As a Supervisor, I have proudly supported environmental education programs for our children as a zealous advocate for and volunteer with our programs for grades K-12. I care deeply about Wake County’s future, which is why I have spent countless hours in classrooms and at after-school programs with our students to teach them about soil science and water conservation. With the help of the Wake SWCD’s excellent environmental education coordinator, I have planned lessons, designed worksheets, and created soil centers where students could see how healthy soil helps create products used in their everyday lives. The District also has a yearly 4th and 5th grade conservation poster contest; provides free environmental education materials to teachers through our engagement with the Food, Land, and People program; and sponsors scholarships for the weeklong Resource Conservation Workshop at NC State for high schoolers interested in pursuing conservation careers. The environmental education of our citizenry—and most especially of our youth—is of paramount importance to me because I believe that it is through the fostering of future stewards of conservation that we can leave this world a little better than we found it.
Enhancing Water Quality: Folks want to know that when they go home at night, cut on the tap, and use water to cook food for their families that what they are consuming is safe. The Wake SWCD has worked diligently to help clean-up both Falls Lake and Jordan Lake, while also placing a priority on improving water quality in other waterways. Wake County has 44 watersheds. Of those, 21 provide drinking water. 24 watersheds are impaired and impacted—including, among others, Swift Creek, Falls Lake, Jordan Lake, and the Neuse River. These have been priority watersheds for the projects Wake SWCD has cost-shared projects and provided technical expertise in over the past years. We have been at the forefront of conservation, and my voice has often led the charge to ensure we are always moving forward in how we address our changing landscape.
We also lead the Big Sweep program which recruits hundreds of volunteers a year to clean tons of trash out of our drinking water. This Spring alone, 618 volunteers removed 26,000 lbs of trash and recyclables out of watersheds in 906 acres in Wake County. In past years, this was approximately the total amount of trash and recyclables collected the whole year with the help of our volunteers. In a Big Sweep cleanup on July 21st, volunteers from S&P Global removed 4,660 lbs of trash from the Kellam-Wyatt property that day alone. A September 10th Big Sweep clean at Crabtree Creek at N. Raleigh Blvd. resulted in the removal of 2,543 lbs of trash and recyclables. I'm proud to have advocated for a full-time Big Sweep coordinator to be on staff so we can do this work year round.
Climate Change: I am committed to preserving this one, precious, beautiful planet we call home. I am a proud climate activist and, for the past twelve years in elected service, I’ve been fighting to protect, preserve, and conserve our natural resources and wildlife, all while educating the next generation of young minds who will be on the frontlines of this climate crisis. It is a core belief of mine that we have an inherent responsibility to speak up for our environment and fight to preserve our natural spaces before it’s too late.
Climate change is most assuredly one of the greatest threats to us all, but I believe that is especially true for our farmers. It is imperative to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis on our agricultural sector, especially in the wake of more frequent and intense natural disasters. Climate change causes unpredictable yields, as well as premature blossoming of crops; alters planting and harvesting dates; and increases the frequency of damage caused by weather events. Left unaddressed, climate change can result in dire circumstances, including the inability to produce crops and the eventual loss of the farm through bankruptcy, which has understandably contributed to declining mental health and a stark increase in the number of farmer suicides. North Carolina’s farmers and our most vulnerable folks are on the frontlines of the fight against climate change, or at least they must be, in order for us to realize any true progress in mitigating what Mother Nature has in store for us in the coming years.
I believe writing a relief check in the aftermath of devastation brought about by extreme weather cannot be our only solution to dealing with natural disasters. While such money can unquestionably provide short-term relief to folks who have seen a season of work go down the metaphorical drain, it is both economically unsustainable and environmentally unsustainable to push conventional practices and support factory farming in the long-term. We need to build resiliency into both our farm and community planning, and move to more sustainable agricultural models and crops in order to continue feeding our state and the rest of the world that is depending on us. We must vigorously advocate for transitioning to best management practices—prioritizing conservation while fostering long term economic success. This is something I’m really proud to say the Wake Soil and Water District has done and continues to do well.
We must innovate and work towards creating a future where our farmers don’t have to rely on subsidies and bailouts to survive. We want our farmers to thrive. Young people, as well as both nontraditional and marginalized folks, are apprehensive about exploring a career in farming that means a future spent working one of the hardest jobs at all hours of the day with a very low profit margin, high risks, dependence on political leaders to create financial lifelines, extreme uncertainty, overwhelming stress, and difficulty in safeguarding their mental, physical, or economic health. It is my enduring belief that building resiliency into and fostering sustainability in our agricultural systems could combat many of these worries and offer a more prosperous future for those who choose to devote themselves to both growing and raising our food and fiber.
We should pursue regenerative, organic, vertical, and urban farming. These are priorities of mine moving into what I hope will be my next term. In many ways, the NC Department of Agriculture, as well as the local Soil and Water Districts across the state, aren’t as well equipped at supporting and encouraging more modern models of farming and that’s true for a host of reasons, many of which are historical and political in nature. Nevertheless, I still believe we can move an industry largely left in the past into the future while creating greener jobs, building more resilient local food systems, tackling food insecurity, and supporting family farmers throughout the county. In doing so, Wake will continue to set a high bar and lead by example for farmers throughout North Carolina who are questioning how they can continue to keep doing what they love even as they are faced with issues arising from the climate emergency we are living through at this moment.
It is also incumbent upon us to educate the next generation who will inherit the land, which is why I support putting gardens on every school ground. This was a key part of my platform in 2020 when I ran statewide for Commissioner of Agriculture and it is a vision I am very much still committed to. It is my hope that our District will be able to find alternative funding mechanisms to help realize this goal in Wake County in the coming years, until the State decides to step up and invest in our school children’s health, wellness, and agricultural education in a more substantial and substantive way.
To further signify my commitment to meaningfully addressing the climate crisis, I have once again signed the No Toxic Money Pledge, which states: “I will take no money or gifts from Duke Energy, Dominion Energy, or their affiliates, including from their Political Action Committees (PAC), lobbyists, and executives. In addition, I support a moratorium on all of their new fossil fuel infrastructure projects.” I also signed The Green New Deal Pledge, which states: “I pledge that I will use my office to champion a Green New Deal in any and all ways, including but not limited to: developing and supporting Green New Deal legislation and/or resolutions; building support amongst my colleagues for a Green New Deal; and publicly advocating for the necessity of a Green New Deal.”
As I see it, building a more sustainable future is both a moral and economic imperative.
To read more about Jenna's work as a Soil and Water Supervisor and to better understand the issues she has addressed while in office, please refer to her 2022 INDY Week questionnaire, which garnered her endorsement by The INDY this cycle: READ QUESTIONNAIRE HERE
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Below are issues Jenna has always been passionately committed to addressing:
Visit The Independent Weekly to view responses to the 2020 General Election questionnaire with detailed responses describing Jenna's record of service and proven progress on the issues that matter to you.
Key Issues:
Supporting Farmers: Farmland loss is a considerable problem we're facing. Wake still has roughly 691 farms situated on over 77,000 acres. Hailing from a family farm, I’ve tirelessly advocated for agriculture and farmland preservation. I have been an outspoken supporter of the District’s Keeping the Farm Workshop, which provides hundreds of farmers yearly with the resources necessary to keep their farms in their families for generations to come. Since the COVID pandemic began, we have actually put recordings from recent years online so farmers all over the county and the state can access trainings and information vital to their success.
We should examine the possibility of placing easements on land and further support our farmland preservation work when that is the best opportunity to keep that land from becoming development property. We've also worked with County Commissioners to establish protections for farms enrolled in our Voluntary Agricultural District program (VAD) and our newer Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District (EVAD) Program. As of FY 20-21, there are over 9,504.02 acres enrolled into this free farmland preservation program. The VAD Advisory Board approved an additional 11 applications in 2020-2021 totaling 750.6 acres. Our tireless advocacy work has led to an official Wake County board and commission which prioritizes agricultural producers, called the Wake County Agricultural Advisory Board.
The Board of Supervisors is also currently engaged with Wake County Commissioners and county staff in developing the new Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) which will have protections for farms and ensure development is mindful of existing agricultural operations. Furthermore, the new UDO will even encourage developers to leave more open space and consider converting said space into agricultural production for additional incentives. This will also help to address localized food insecurity and water quality issues by reducing impervious surfaces and runoff issues.
Environmental Education Programming: As a Supervisor, I have proudly supported environmental education programs for our children as a zealous advocate for and volunteer with our programs for grades K-12. I care deeply about Wake County’s future, which is why I have spent countless hours in classrooms and at after-school programs with our students to teach them about soil science and water conservation. With the help of the Wake SWCD’s excellent environmental education coordinator, I have planned lessons, designed worksheets, and created soil centers where students could see how healthy soil helps create products used in their everyday lives. The District also has a yearly 4th and 5th grade conservation poster contest; provides free environmental education materials to teachers through our engagement with the Food, Land, and People program; and sponsors scholarships for the weeklong Resource Conservation Workshop at NC State for high schoolers interested in pursuing conservation careers. The environmental education of our citizenry—and most especially of our youth—is of paramount importance to me because I believe that it is through the fostering of future stewards of conservation that we can leave this world a little better than we found it.
Enhancing Water Quality: Folks want to know that when they go home at night, cut on the tap, and use water to cook food for their families that what they are consuming is safe. The Wake SWCD has worked diligently to help clean-up both Falls Lake and Jordan Lake, while also placing a priority on improving water quality in other waterways. Wake County has 44 watersheds. Of those, 21 provide drinking water. 24 watersheds are impaired and impacted—including, among others, Swift Creek, Falls Lake, Jordan Lake, and the Neuse River. These have been priority watersheds for the projects Wake SWCD has cost-shared projects and provided technical expertise in over the past years. We have been at the forefront of conservation, and my voice has often led the charge to ensure we are always moving forward in how we address our changing landscape.
We also lead the Big Sweep program which recruits hundreds of volunteers a year to clean tons of trash out of our drinking water. This Spring alone, 618 volunteers removed 26,000 lbs of trash and recyclables out of watersheds in 906 acres in Wake County. In past years, this was approximately the total amount of trash and recyclables collected the whole year with the help of our volunteers. In a Big Sweep cleanup on July 21st, volunteers from S&P Global removed 4,660 lbs of trash from the Kellam-Wyatt property that day alone. A September 10th Big Sweep clean at Crabtree Creek at N. Raleigh Blvd. resulted in the removal of 2,543 lbs of trash and recyclables. I'm proud to have advocated for a full-time Big Sweep coordinator to be on staff so we can do this work year round.
Climate Change: I am committed to preserving this one, precious, beautiful planet we call home. I am a proud climate activist and, for the past twelve years in elected service, I’ve been fighting to protect, preserve, and conserve our natural resources and wildlife, all while educating the next generation of young minds who will be on the frontlines of this climate crisis. It is a core belief of mine that we have an inherent responsibility to speak up for our environment and fight to preserve our natural spaces before it’s too late.
Climate change is most assuredly one of the greatest threats to us all, but I believe that is especially true for our farmers. It is imperative to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis on our agricultural sector, especially in the wake of more frequent and intense natural disasters. Climate change causes unpredictable yields, as well as premature blossoming of crops; alters planting and harvesting dates; and increases the frequency of damage caused by weather events. Left unaddressed, climate change can result in dire circumstances, including the inability to produce crops and the eventual loss of the farm through bankruptcy, which has understandably contributed to declining mental health and a stark increase in the number of farmer suicides. North Carolina’s farmers and our most vulnerable folks are on the frontlines of the fight against climate change, or at least they must be, in order for us to realize any true progress in mitigating what Mother Nature has in store for us in the coming years.
I believe writing a relief check in the aftermath of devastation brought about by extreme weather cannot be our only solution to dealing with natural disasters. While such money can unquestionably provide short-term relief to folks who have seen a season of work go down the metaphorical drain, it is both economically unsustainable and environmentally unsustainable to push conventional practices and support factory farming in the long-term. We need to build resiliency into both our farm and community planning, and move to more sustainable agricultural models and crops in order to continue feeding our state and the rest of the world that is depending on us. We must vigorously advocate for transitioning to best management practices—prioritizing conservation while fostering long term economic success. This is something I’m really proud to say the Wake Soil and Water District has done and continues to do well.
We must innovate and work towards creating a future where our farmers don’t have to rely on subsidies and bailouts to survive. We want our farmers to thrive. Young people, as well as both nontraditional and marginalized folks, are apprehensive about exploring a career in farming that means a future spent working one of the hardest jobs at all hours of the day with a very low profit margin, high risks, dependence on political leaders to create financial lifelines, extreme uncertainty, overwhelming stress, and difficulty in safeguarding their mental, physical, or economic health. It is my enduring belief that building resiliency into and fostering sustainability in our agricultural systems could combat many of these worries and offer a more prosperous future for those who choose to devote themselves to both growing and raising our food and fiber.
We should pursue regenerative, organic, vertical, and urban farming. These are priorities of mine moving into what I hope will be my next term. In many ways, the NC Department of Agriculture, as well as the local Soil and Water Districts across the state, aren’t as well equipped at supporting and encouraging more modern models of farming and that’s true for a host of reasons, many of which are historical and political in nature. Nevertheless, I still believe we can move an industry largely left in the past into the future while creating greener jobs, building more resilient local food systems, tackling food insecurity, and supporting family farmers throughout the county. In doing so, Wake will continue to set a high bar and lead by example for farmers throughout North Carolina who are questioning how they can continue to keep doing what they love even as they are faced with issues arising from the climate emergency we are living through at this moment.
It is also incumbent upon us to educate the next generation who will inherit the land, which is why I support putting gardens on every school ground. This was a key part of my platform in 2020 when I ran statewide for Commissioner of Agriculture and it is a vision I am very much still committed to. It is my hope that our District will be able to find alternative funding mechanisms to help realize this goal in Wake County in the coming years, until the State decides to step up and invest in our school children’s health, wellness, and agricultural education in a more substantial and substantive way.
To further signify my commitment to meaningfully addressing the climate crisis, I have once again signed the No Toxic Money Pledge, which states: “I will take no money or gifts from Duke Energy, Dominion Energy, or their affiliates, including from their Political Action Committees (PAC), lobbyists, and executives. In addition, I support a moratorium on all of their new fossil fuel infrastructure projects.” I also signed The Green New Deal Pledge, which states: “I pledge that I will use my office to champion a Green New Deal in any and all ways, including but not limited to: developing and supporting Green New Deal legislation and/or resolutions; building support amongst my colleagues for a Green New Deal; and publicly advocating for the necessity of a Green New Deal.”
As I see it, building a more sustainable future is both a moral and economic imperative.
To read more about Jenna's work as a Soil and Water Supervisor and to better understand the issues she has addressed while in office, please refer to her 2022 INDY Week questionnaire, which garnered her endorsement by The INDY this cycle: READ QUESTIONNAIRE HERE
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Below are issues Jenna has always been passionately committed to addressing:
Visit The Independent Weekly to view responses to the 2020 General Election questionnaire with detailed responses describing Jenna's record of service and proven progress on the issues that matter to you.
Key Issues:
- Farmland Preservation
- Climate change is real, and we must build resiliency into our farm plans
- Writing a relief check should not be our only solution to dealing with natural disasters
- Expansion of new crops and diverse revenue streams, including the promotion of hemp and cannabis legalization
- helps to combat effects of trade wars being entered on the Federal level
- can help to increase economic opportunities, specifically for our farmers and our rural communities
- can allow for re-investment in infrastructure needs, especially in rural parts of our state
- chance for achieving true social justice, specifically for communities of color which have been overwhelmingly criminalized on possession charges versus Caucasian users
- an opportunity to begin to combat the opioid epidemic
- Environmental Education, especially in our public & private schools
- Water Quality
- Food science research
- We have two of the best land grant research institutions at our disposal. NC State and A&T are capable of helping us research sustainability and food science in a way that can bring us into modern times
- Soil Health
- Local Foods
- Agribusiness Development
- specifically in regards to the beer, wine, and spirit industry
- agritourism operation support so that farms and agribusinesses can have diverse revenue streams and longterm operational success
- Fair farm labor practices and immigrant rights
- Sustainable Development
- Support for renewable energy
- support solar leases and wind project development
- Fuel safety
- Coastal and inland fisheries conservation
- Community gardens & horticulture programming
- Rural broadband access
- Our farmers can't compete in the global marketplace if they do not have the tools and technology necessary to do so
- Bridging the growing urban-rural divide in our state
- Rural healthcare investments
- Medicaid expansion, Medicare for All
- Support rural hospitals and medical services
- Mental health counseling in rural communities, with an emphasis on addressing the rising suicide rate of farmers
- Support for small meat processors
- These businesses better serve our small, family farmers.
- Will fight for additional funding in order for them to be more economically viable in the state. Many need access to additional capital or funding in order to expand operations, increase cold storage capabilities, and hire more employees to adequately respond to an increased demand for services, especially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Paid for by the Jenna Wadsworth Campaign
