Gipson doubles down on bid for Mississippi Governor, literally throwing his hat in the ring at Neshoba

• The Agriculture Commissioner announced the Future of Agriculture Resiliency for Mississippi, or FARM, plan on Wednesday while also sharing his platform for higher office.

Mississippi Agriculture Commissioner doubled down on his intent to run for Governor in 2027 at this year’s Neshoba County Fair. Commissioner Andy Gipson (R) also spoke about the future of agriculture in the state, which is a major economic driver especially in rural areas.

Gipson, who literally tossed his cowboy hat in the ring, or rather the crowd gathered under the Founders Square Pavilion, said there are challenges facing agriculture producers, such as trade tensions with countries like China and difficulties with row crops. 

To help address those challenges, Gipson plans to appoint a group with agriculture experience to look at ways to address ongoing issues, including the state’s water infrastructure he says is of vital importance.

“I think it’s time we take a good, long look and find out what the issues are and ask the questions about what we need to do to grow markets in our state,” Gipson said.

His office has also supported efforts to promote healthy eating which supports farmers. The large number of farmer’s markets across the state make fresh produce readily available in most parts of the state, and since farming is one of the biggest economic drivers for Mississippi, he has a plan to help support those local entrepreneurs through the Future of Agriculture Resiliency for Mississippi, or FARM, plan. 

By diversifying the crops grown in the state, the farming industry will continue to grow and therefore provide more jobs, he contends. 

“Today, American agriculture stands at a pivotal crossroads, with stakes higher than ever for our Mississippi farmers and rural communities. The strength of America’s future depends on our farmers’ ability to continue producing the food, fiber and shelter that sustain us all,” Gipson said. “Make no mistake — food security is national security. To protect our agricultural way of life, we must act with foresight and determination, planning boldly for our future. Because if we fail to plan, we are planning to fail — and failure is not an option for America’s farmers or for our nation.”

The goal of the initiative will be to set strong legislative policies and regulatory and/or industry action items at the state and federal levels. Gipson is confident President Donald Trump’s efforts to establish trade policies with Asia, the European and Australia will be beneficial for Mississippi’s famers.

As for his bid for the governor’s office, Gipson said public safety and infrastructure needs should be addressed. He said it is time to deal with the gang related activity in Mississippi and drive that element out of communities. 

A self-described staunch conservative, Gipson said his political stance and experience make him more qualified than anyone else who may seek to win the state’s top office in two years. 

“We’re going to make Mississippi safe again and bring back law and order,” Gipson added. 

He also plans to consolidate appropriate government functions so more can be done with less, as he said he has accomplished during his time as the state’s agriculture commissioner. If elected, he also promises not to raise taxes.

“I’ll tell you this, I will veto any bill that has a tax increase in it against the working people in Mississippi,” Gipson said. “I support keeping our taxes low and doing more with less.” 

Freedom of choice in a child’s education is also a platform Gipson supports. While the exact details of what his version of school choice would entail was not discussed, he did say it would not be vouchers but could involve a form of tax credits. His goal is to provide Mississippians with the same education freedoms residents in surrounding states like Alabama and Louisiana currently enjoy. 

“I believe people in Mississippi ought to have the same freedoms that folks in Alabama have, or Arkansas, or in Louisiana have,” Gibson said. 

However, he added that this will be accomplished without hurting public schools.

“We don’t want to mess with our public schools that are doing a great job,” he said.

Another priority for Gipson, should he be elected governor, is the state’s infrastructure. While he opposed the gas tax increase that was passed by lawmakers this session, he supports providing the transportation department with the funding it requires to maintain roads and bridges. 

“What we have to do is make our transportation infrastructure the priority,” Gipson said. “The money is there, available to use. We just have to redirect those funds and make sure they are being spent consistently on projects that are actually getting done to benefit our transportation across the state.”

He also discussed the cuts to welfare programs under the “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” stating that now that the cuts to Medicaid and SNAP have been approved, it will be up to state leaders to figure out how to be resourceful and make funds go further. 

“It turns out, it was a great thing Mississippi did not expand Medicaid,” Gipson said. “Instead of a small hole to fill up, we would have had a huge hole to fill up which would have bankrupted the state of Mississippi.”

Those who may lose their Medicaid coverage due to work requirements and other federal changes will now have to find other avenues for healthcare. Gipson said those individuals can soon turn to the private sector. One such anticipated program applies to members of Farm Bureau, which will allow them to purchase private health insurance policies. 

“Staring January of 2026, if you’re a member of Farm Bureau, which is the state’s largest non-profit organization, you will have the option to buy a non-Obamacare, lower-price basic healthcare coverage,” he explained. “It’s going to be a huge game changer for rural Mississippi.”

Other private sector options are also said to be on the horizon under the Trump administration, Gipson noted.