Christina Woerner McInnis campaigns in Etowah County

September 20, 2025 – RAINBOW CITY, AL – Christina Woerner McInnis brought her campaign for Commissioner of Agriculture & Industries to Etowah County Saturday where she addressed the Republican breakfast group.

McInnis – if elected – would be the first female Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries in the history of the state of Alabama.

"I am a 5th generation farmer in Baldwin County," said McInnis. "We grow turfgrass and other things. My family has been here since 1906. I am married to Timmy McInnis of McInnis Construction. He builds most of the bridges in Alabama and a lot of the rural roads."

She is mother with four children.

"I can drive a tractor and have delivered a calf," said McInnis. "But that is not what you need as Commissioner of Agriculture. You need somebody who is smart and understands technology to take the Department of Agriculture into the next century."

"People think of the Department of Agriculture as being about farmers; but it is more than that it touches every Alabamian every day. It is a regulatory office. It makes sure that if you pump one gallon of gas you get one gallon of gas. When you go to Publix and use the scales it is responsible for that too. It is over the public-school cafeterias."

"I have spent time with Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins," said McInnis. "She is phenomenal she is doing a great job."

McInnis said that Rollins is guided in her decisions by two principles, "Is this good for the U.S. farmer? Is this good, safe, and healthy for our nation and our children."

"The Farm bill is $123 billion," said McInnis. "$80 billionn of that today is SNAP. Of that $15 billion is being spent on energy drinks and soda."

"In Alabama three out of four children we are taking care of are clinically obese," said McInnis.

McInnis said that Alabama produces a lot of poultry and that she wants to put poultry, "On the plates of our families, children, and our homes."

McInnis says that currently you cannot buy a rotisserie chicken with SNAP benefits in Alabama. "You can buy margarita mixes with SNAP, you can buy energy drinks with SNAP," but you can't buy a rotisserie chicken that will feed a family of four for two meals."

McInnis says that it is important to make America's children healthier.

McInnis expressed concern about China.

"Alabama has done a great job of seeing what other states are just figuring out and banned China from buying farmland here; but they can still rent here," said McInnis. "One out of four hogs here (in the U.S.) is owned by China. They own 400,000 acres of American farmland and if you add what they rent they control 650,000 acres."

"They are very open about their goals," said McInnis. "They want to dominate the United States and to own us," "Just last week the USDA had to let go 70 people because of their ties with China."

"Third is truly the largest national security threat and that is developing the young farmer," said McInnis.

McInnis said that there are a lot of barriers keeping the next generation from becoming farmers, "Land costs are so incredibly expensive. I know what it costs to purchase tractors and equipment and the cost of repairing them. It is breaking the farm. Too often it is easier to sell the land to developers than it is to save the farmers and hand it off to the next generation."

"We need food and if we don't produce it who will? Brazil?" said McInnis. "If someone controls your food they control you."

McInnis praised the Sweet Grown Alabama program where Alabama products are promoted in Alabama stores. McInnis said that she wanted to tap the 29 million tourists who visit the beaches in Alabama now with agritourism.

"I understand what we do best," said McInnis. "We grow great strawberries, blueberries, sweet corn. For every $1 that a tourist spends in that community 60 cents stays in that community."

"I have got a farm in Alabama, two farms in Florida, a Farm in Colorado," said McInnis.

McInnis also started Agrotech.It is also used by companies including Lowes.

"It is good for our farm," said McInnis. It is also used by companies including Lowes, "And I run it from Elberta, Alabama."

McInnis said that as AG commissioner she would start a voluntary grant portal to help farmers get grant dollars.

"It is going to be very hard getting young farmers in the marketplace successfully," explained McInnis.

State Representative Mark Gidley (R-Hokes Bluff) said that whitetail deer are causing a lot o damage to farms in Etowah County and asked what McInnis would do about it.

McInnis said that something like the federal government program to combat, "Feral pigs is what we need to do. Invasive wildlife is an issue."

McInnis said that HHS Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. is right about some of the issues with food, especially sodas and energy drinks.

"I know firsthand that it is making our children sicker," said McInnis. "Water and milk is what our kids need." "Let's talk about the fact that we are the most developed country in the world and we are the sickest country in the world. I have left meetings where a pediatrician comes to me with tears in his eyes and I tell them that they are killing their kids."

Rep. Mack Butler (R-Rainbow City) said that he had introduced legislation to ban sodas and soft drinks from Alabama SNAP, and he had faced tremendous pushback.

"There is a swell coming behind you that says we need to address this," said McInnis urging Butler to introduce the bill again.

"We need to put rotisserie chicken on their plate," said McInnis. "We are growing all of these chickens here."

McInnis was asked about getting farm labor given the Trump immigration crackdown.

"We cannot employ illegal immigrants," said McInnis; but President Trump understands and, "He has loosened hospitality and agriculture I would like to see him loosen it on construction as well."

McInnis was asked about the proliferation of solar farms around the state.

"A solar farm was just built next to me in Loxley," said McInnis. "It was built on the most fertile land in Baldwin Cunty."

McInnis said that on the positive side they say that they can have, "Sheep grazing underneath it. What sheep do is good for the soil. That could be beneficial. What scares me is that I live in a hurricane zone ten miles from the Gulf. When a Cat 4 or 5 comes through where are those solar panels going to be? They will be on our farm."

McInnis also was concerned about erosion impacting neighboring farms. "Let's increase our sheep population."

McInnis was asked about hemp farming.

"My dad applied for one of the first hemp licenses in Alabama," said McInnis. "I said Dad why? And he said something about the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution being written on hemp. When it comes to hemp benefits it is an agriculture fiber product."

"Can good come from hemp?" said McInnis. "It is not turning our profitably so my dad is no longer a hemp farmer."

McInnis said that she has been criticized for being too smart and for being a woman.

"I have been around powerful women from Elberta Alabama who have done great things," said McInnis. "We have gotten behind a female governor a female senator in Katie Britt."

The Republican primary is on May 19.

Dana Snyder asked for everyone in Southside to vote for her in Tuesday's runoff election for Mayor of Southside.

"If I'ts God will," said Snyder.

Rep. Butler said that there will be a prayer vigil for Charlie Kirk at 7:00 p.m. at 7:00 p.m. in front of the Rainbow City Hall.

The Republican breakfast is at 8:00 a.m. on the third Saturday of every month at the Western Sizzlin in Rainbow City.

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