Leading Agriculture Forward with Innovation, Safety, and Common Sense

Guest Opinion by Christina Woerner McInnis - Candidate for Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries

As a candidate for Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries, my priority is simple: lowering costs for farmers while strengthening the long-term future of agriculture. That means being honest about what actually drives expenses and being practical about the solutions that will make the biggest difference.

President Trump is right to call attention to the growing cost of farm equipment and the burden of excessive regulation. In just a three-year period, machinery costs increased from roughly $136 per acre to $171 per acre, putting additional pressure on already-thin margins. Farmers face enough challenges without unnecessary red tape making it harder - and more expensive - to do their jobs. When regulations add cost without delivering real value, they deserve to be re-examined and streamlined.

At the same time, leaders across agriculture and industry are also right about something critical: technology and innovation are essential to making farming more affordable, and safer, in the long run.

This doesn’t have to be an either-or debate. The best path forward is smart regulation paired with responsible innovation.

Modern equipment isn’t about bells and whistles. It’s about helping farmers and operators do more with less and keeping people alive. Heavy equipment operates in tough, unpredictable environments, and too often outdated practices put workers directly in harm’s way. Technology doesn’t just improve efficiency; it saves lives.

Charlie Stevens, Vice President of the Earthmoving Division at Thompson Tractor Company, which represents CAT equipment, put it plainly: today’s innovation isn’t just about cutting costs - it’s also about removing people from the most dangerous situations altogether. That mindset is reshaping how heavy equipment is used across agriculture, ports, and industrial operations.

One clear example is the use of remote-controlled skid steers to unload grain from barges at ports. Instead of placing operators on unstable surfaces or in hazardous transitions from water to land, remote-controlled equipment allows the machine to do the dangerous work while the operator stays safely out of harm’s way. The result is fewer injuries, less downtime, and lower long-term costs.

That same technology is also helping farmers protect what they’ve already invested. Systems like CAT’s VisionLink allow equipment to be monitored and geofenced to deter theft, keeping machines in the hands of farmers instead of criminals and helping prevent rising insurance costs. It’s also alerting owners to mechanical issues before they become major failures, reducing downtime and saving thousands of dollars in avoidable repair expenses.

This is the future of agriculture and industry: safer operations are more efficient operations. Fewer accidents mean lower insurance costs, stronger workforce retention, and more predictable productivity, all of which matter deeply to farmers’ bottom lines.

As Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries, my role isn’t to mandate technology or pick winners, but to make sure our policies don’t block progress. Innovation should be encouraged, not burdened by outdated, one-size-fits-all regulations that ignore real-world conditions.

 That’s why President Trump’s emphasis on regulatory reform matters. When regulations become disconnected from how equipment is actually used - increasing fuel consumption and downtime, or unnecessary complexity - they can work against the very people they’re meant to help. We should be willing to fix what isn’t working while preserving commonsense standards that truly protect people and the environment.

 As Commissioner, I will bring a balanced, practical approach:

• Lowering costs by supporting efficiency-driven innovation
• Improving safety by encouraging technologies that reduce risk
• Cutting unnecessary red tape while preserving commonsense standards
• Listening to farmers and operators, not just bureaucrats

Farmers don’t want politics. They want solutions. They want equipment that works, rules that make sense, and leadership that understands the economics - and realities - of agriculture.

 We can lower costs without sacrificing innovation. We can improve safety without overregulation. And we can build an agricultural system that is more efficient, more competitive, and more secure for the next generation.

 That is the leadership I will bring as Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries - focused, practical, and grounded in real-world results, where it matters most: on the farm and on your bottom line.

For more information on McInnis or to join her campaign, visit McInnisForAlabama.com or follow her campaign on social media.

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