“I’ve learned from my experiences that everything is interconnected. We have to understand the reality of the world we are living in. That means that climate change is an issue we must address now.”

“I’ve been fortunate to be elected three times to serve 1.2 million people who call our capital county home and proud to have had the opportunity to run statewide as the 2020 Democratic Nominee for North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture,” said Jenna Wadsworth, Vice-Chair of the Wake County Soil & Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors. “Taking care of our soil and water is a key component to combating climate change. We need sustainable agricultural systems. We’re revitalizing and building stronger more resilient local food systems while prioritizing environmental education in our schools and helping farmers.”

In 2010, Jenna made history as the youngest woman ever elected to public office in the state of North Carolina when she won her race for Soil & Water Conservation District Supervisor. During her time in office, she has worked to enhance engagement of landowners and farmers in conservation programs, to raise awareness of environmental education work in schools, and to increase the effectiveness of working relationships with other local Districts and state-level staff in order to better serve agricultural and water quality needs. With her leadership, the District secured its first ever conservation easement and entered into a Market Based Conservation Initiative (MBCI) program with the U.S. Marine Corps and the NAVY. The MBCI program preserves open space and restricts development under a vital military flight path. Jenna is the Co-Founder and former Co-Director of the nonprofit New Leaders Council – North Carolina.