Government Market News StaffProfiles in Power highlights public officials nationwide who are improving their communities through their dedication, enthusiasm, creativity and experience.
This week’s profile is Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson.
My public career highlights and education: I attended Mississippi College, where I double majored in history and political science and Christian studies. I learned a lot about public service through the constitutional studies that I had there and was inspired to go to law school at the Mississippi College School of Law where I learned more about our government, its structure and constitutional underpinnings.
A few years later, I ran for state legislature, where I served in the Mississippi House of Representatives for 10 years. Then, in 2018, I received an unexpected phone call from our governor at the time who appointed me to fill the vacancy of Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce. All those years working on the farm, and advocating for our Mississippi farmers, agriculture and trade led the governor to ask me to consider serving in this role. So, I prayed about it and felt led to do it.
Soon after, I was elected in 2019 and reelected in 2023 to the position of ag commissioner. I thank the people of Mississippi for supporting me and electing me twice to this important office.
There have been several highlights within my career as commissioner—mostly stemming from today’s trend of consumers wanting to buy local food. Our agency launched the Genuine MS® program which spotlights products Grown, Raised, Crafted and Made right here in our state. We have executed a plan to grow our major destination events hosted at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds Complex and Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum. Events like the Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo and the Mississippi State Fair have grown exponentially.
We started the nation’s first agency-led Wild Hog Control Program to help farmers and landowners battle the invasive, destructive and non-native scourge that is wild hogs. We’ve also worked to grow and strengthen Mississippi’s food supply chain and agricultural workforce through various avenues, such as our online MS Farm Marketplace Portal, our Ag Workforce, Development and Outreach Division’s student-based Ag Youth Council and more recently, through establishing food processing and distribution centers.
What I like best about public service: Talking to the people who elected me to do this job. I enjoy going and seeing folks on a regular basis, whether it’s at the grocery store, the tire shop, or wherever I happen to be at any given time. People come up to me and talk about the job that our agency is doing. Sometimes they have ideas for us, and they talk about things we could work on or things we have done well. Our people have the best ideas, and in fact, a lot of the ideas that I’ve been able to implement and bring to fruition came from the people of this state.
Some of the best advice I’ve ever received: My grandmother, Minnie Lee Gipson, once told me over a pan of biscuits she was making, “When faced with any challenge, problem or crisis—before you get all bent out of shape—ask yourself ‘Is this going to matter in 100 years?’” If it is going to matter in 100 years, then it’s a big deal, but if it’s a flash in the pan, a temporary issue, then treat it as such. Don’t sweat the small things. The things that will matter in 100 years are most important, and that’s where we should devote our greatest attention.
Something I wish more people knew about the division of government I serve: I wish people knew all the work that our small agency does. We only have about 215 people, yet the work that we do keeps the economy running and touches the lives of every person in this state. Whether they’re a consumer or producer, our agency directly affects their daily routine, whether they’re buying gas at the pump, weighing fruit at the grocery store, or purchasing meat products that are processed locally. The work that the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce does is critical to the well-being of our state and our people.
A current project or initiative I’m working on: I’m working on a major, statewide plan to bring local food processing and distribution centers to our state. This project will further support local markets for our farmers and today’s trends of consumers wanting to buy local, fresh foods for their families. We’re connecting farmers and our food production system to consumers who want to buy local food products. So, our agency is working to locate hubs for food processing, sales and distribution to further enhance the availability and affordability of local food products.
Eventually, I hope to have these “hubs” established across North, Central and South Mississippi. We’ve already started here in Central Mississippi. I think it’s the most important thing I’m working on right now, because it will benefit the people of Mississippi for years to come, both consumers and producers. In light of the challenges that our farmers are facing right now, this is especially important because it is going to create new, local markets for them to sell their products.
One thing people may not know about me: I love singing and playing the piano! In fact, I’m about to release my first two albums this year, either late spring or early summer of 2025. One album features songs of faith and gospel songs, and the other features country and classic songs that my family enjoys.
