I have the best job in the world. As a fifth-generation farmer, I work alongside my father to run a flower, corn, pumpkin, and cattle operation. My goal is to keep our land in the family and to help ensure the same for other farm families through smart policy and effective programs.
That’s why I’m excited about the launch this week of a new high profile agriculture-focused policy council at America First Policy Institute (AFPI) which will do just that. On June 12, AFPI will officially launch the America First Agriculture Commissioners and Secretaries Council. This Council recognizes the important role that state leaders play in shaping rural policy from the ground up.
As the premier America First policy institution in our country, it is encouraging to see that AFPI is working to ensure that policy recommendations are being informed by those of us on the front lines. When I was first elected to public office in 2012, I focused on strategies to deliver prosperity to Kentucky’s rural communities, putting our own communities first. That work led to my election as the first Republican House Majority Floor Leader in Kentucky’s history, where the value of well-informed policy made all the difference.
After being sworn in as Kentucky’s thirty-sixth Commissioner of Agriculture on January 1, 2024, I immediately began pushing back against the burdensome, anti-agriculture overreach of the federal government. I became a watchdog for Kentucky’s farm families, supporting litigation to bring relief not only to Kentucky but to farmers across America.
That relief arrived in 2025. Just one month into the year, I joined more than 15,000 others in welcoming U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to the National Farm Machinery Show at Louisville’s Freedom Hall and to Gallrein Farms in Shelbyville. Sworn in only the day before, Secretary Rollins wasted no time. She immediately opened dialogue with Kentucky farmers and committed to putting American agriculture back on solid footing.
In Kentucky, we are doing our part. We’re using the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund and Kentucky Agricultural Finance Corporation to support growth. We’ve partnered with the Kentucky Hospital Association on the “Food is Medicine” campaign, which has gained national recognition and aligns with President Trump’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission. We’ve strengthened our Community Supported Agriculture network, pushed for gas pump transparency, and are pursuing new international trade agreements to open markets for Kentucky products.
On April 16, I joined eleven other Agriculture Commissioners and Secretaries to welcome AFPI’s formal entry into rural policy with the launch of their Farmers First Agenda. Since then, we’ve worked side by side—monitoring trade developments, contributing to nutrition policy, and advancing new ideas.
In doing so, I’ve forged strong relationships with colleagues from across the country—like Commissioners Harper in Georgia and Naig in Iowa—as well as with Secretary Rollins. These partnerships give us a broader platform to show how agriculture in Kentucky supports not just the Commonwealth, but the country and world. That’s why this next step for AFPI’s Farmers First Agenda is so important.
I’ve been fortunate to collaborate with AFPI for some time now. I’m glad more agriculture officials will get to experience their strategic support and commitment to farmer-first policies. This partnership strengthens our collective voice.
The new Council is just the beginning. We face big challenges—input costs remain high, commodity prices have fallen, and America is running a $50 billion agricultural trade deficit. President Trump has already begun addressing these issues with new trade agreements involving the United Kingdom and China, with more in the works.
I urge AFPI to continue prioritizing policies that increase domestic purchases of American agricultural products and break down non-tariff trade barriers. These changes will bring swift, positive impact to Kentucky and farm communities across the country.
It is encouraging to finally see Washington cheering for farmers again. Working with AFPI is common sense. It strengthens the sound policies state leaders are already advancing—and gives us the support needed to make a national impact
I look forward to what comes next. The Council includes Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward; Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tyler Harper; Idaho Director of Agriculture Chanel Tewalt; Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture Down Lamb; Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig; Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson; Nebraska Director of Agriculture Sherry Vinton; Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur; South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers; and Texas Commissioner of Agriculture Sid Miller.
Jonathan Shell is the current Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture.