With only a handful of state races appearing on the upcoming Tuesday, May 19 primary election ballots, very little attention has been given to any of the races with the exception of the four-slate race for Kentucky Governor and Lt. Governor.

Ryan F. Quarles is making an attempt to change that to his favor and last week he brought his campaign to Albany and Clinton County.

Quarles, who is seeking the Republican nomination for the office of Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture, made a brief stop last Wednesday at the Clinton County News during a day-long tour of Albany and Clinton County.

In a brief interview later, Quarles told the Clinton County News a little about his background, as well as his plans should he eventually become Kentucky’s next Commissioner of Agriculture.

“I think Kentucky deserves an Agriculture Commissioner with a real farming background,” Quarles told the Clinton County News, noting that he grew up on a family farm and he had a real understanding of how a small family owned farm is operated.

As an University of Kentucky School of Law graduate, Quarles continues to help on his family owned farm in Scott County, currently has a law practice in Georgetown and since 2010, has represented his home district in the Kentucky House of Representatives (District 62). He also teaches a class on State and Local Government at Georgetown College.

Among the main platform areas Quarles hopes to address if elected to the office, include promoting a higher level of education to Kentucky’s youth about the importance of agriculture in this state, and hopefully to counter what he called “bad information” that is being disseminated in many Kentucky schools by animal activist groups.

“I want to educate young Kentuckians better about where our food comes from,” Quarles said. “There are groups like PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) in our schools now that are spreading a lot of bad information.”

The candidate noted that the 85 acre farm he grew up on in Scott County was involved in several aspects of the agriculture industry, including raising beef cattle and tobacco.

Quarles said that it was that background of coming from a small farm operation, that would allow him to relate with other small farmers across Kentucky, and with many of the farmers in rural areas like Clinton County where a host of small farms are being operated.

He also said that another issue he hopes to address is the federal overreach by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) that would include “pushing back against President Obama’s overreaching regulations” that he said is one of the biggest issues currently faced by farm owners.

Additionally, he said he wants to open up more Kentucky jobs and opportunities for agriculture in the state, including a primary focus on international trade for the industry.

He also noted he planned to “strengthen and expand on the already successful Kentucky Proud program.”

Quarles will face one opponent in the upcoming Republican primary, Richard Heath of Mayfield, Kentucky. Like Quarles, Heath currently serves in the Kentucky House of Representatives, where he represents Graves and part of McCracken County in the far western Kentucky District 2.

The republican primary winner between Quarles and Heath will face Democrat candidate Jean-Marie Lawson Spann of Union, Kentucky, who is running unopposed in the Democrat primary.

Only candidates seeking their respective party’s nomination for a handful of state races will be appearing on this fastly approaching primary election, with Republicans choosing nominee candidates for four offices, the Governor/Lt. Governor race, Attorney General, State Treasurer and the Quarles/Heath matchup for Commissioner of Agriculture.

Democrat voters will be choosing candidates in three races, the Governor/Lt. Governor race, the race for Secretary of State and State Treasurer.