Hugh Weathers

Hugh Weathers
Agriculture Commissioner of South Carolina
Incumbent
Assumed office
September 14, 2004
GovernorMark Sanford
Nikki Haley
Henry McMaster
Preceded byCharles Sharpe
Personal details
Born (1956-06-27) June 27, 1956 (age 70)
Bowman, South Carolina, U.S.
PartyRepublican
SpouseBlanche Weathers
Children3
EducationUniversity of South Carolina (BS)

Hugh Weathers is an American politician from South Carolina. He serves as South Carolina's Commissioner of Agriculture. He has held the position since September 14, 2004. Weathers is a member of the Republican Party.

Early life and career

Weathers was born on June 27, 1956, in Bowman, South Carolina, where he grew up on Weathers Farms, a 2,000-acre (810 ha) dairy farm. He graduated from Bowman Academy as its valedictorian. He earned his bachelor's degree in accounting and finance from the University of South Carolina in 1978, and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Weathers joined the family dairy business in 1980. He and his brother, Landry, inherited the farm.

Commissioner of Agriculture

Governor Nikki Haley and Hugh Weathers (right)

Weathers was appointed by Governor Mark Sanford on September 14, 2004, to be the commissioner of agriculture after the incumbent commissioner, Charles Sharpe, had been accused of illegal cockfighting, lying to investigators, extortion, and money laundering. Weathers won the following election in 2006.

As commissioner of agriculture, Weathers sought to expand consumers' access and reliance on local produce. In 2006, Weathers oversaw the creation of the branding "Certified SC Grown" to highlight produce grown in South Carolina. Weathers also advocated to increase the economic impact of the department to $50 billion by 2020.

Weathers won reelection in the 2022 general election with 77.6% of the vote, defeating Green Party candidate David Edmond. Weathers indicated that this will be his final term in office.

Electoral history

2006 South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Republican primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Hugh Weathers (incumbent) 131,061 57.4%
Republican William Bell 97,326 42.6%
Total votes 228,387 100.0%
2006 South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Hugh Weathers (incumbent) 635,903 59.7%
Democratic Emile DeFelice 429,255 40.3%
Write-in 318 0.03%
Total votes 1,065,476 100.0%
2010 South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Hugh Weathers (incumbent) 792,260 60.1%
Democratic Tom E. Elliott 525,229 39.8%
Write-in 533 0.04%
Total votes 1,318,022 100.0%
2014 South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Republican primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Hugh Weathers (incumbent) 184,621 65.1%
Republican Joe Farmer 99,155 34.9%
Total votes 283,776 100.0%
2014 South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Hugh Weathers (incumbent) 759,640 79.7%
Independent David Edmond 106,223 11.1%
American Emile DeFelice 84,831 8.9%
Write-in 2,922 0.31%
Total votes 953,616 100.0%
2018 South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Hugh Weathers (incumbent) 1,015,366 75.7%
Green David Edmond 202,238 15.1%
Independent Chris Nelums 118,671 8.8%
Write-in 5,025 0.37%
Total votes 1,341,300 100.0%
2022 South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Republican primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Hugh Weathers (incumbent) 199,424 59.3%
Republican Bill Bledsoe 97,711 29.0%
Republican Bob Rozier 39,391 11.7%
Total votes 336,526 100.0%
South Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Election, 2022
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Hugh Weathers (incumbent) 1,085,139 77.6%
Green David Edmond 213,219 15.3%
United Citizens Chris Nelums 95,625 6.8%
Write-in 4,409 0.3%
Total votes 1,398,392 100%

Personal life

Weathers is married with three children and is a fourth-generation farmer.

Notes

  1. ↑ While some sources describe Weathers as interim commissioner between his appointment on September 14, 2004 and swearing in for a full term on January 10, 2007 after his first election victory, Section 46-3-40 of the South Carolina Code of Laws declares that any person the governor appoints to the vacant office is the next commissioner of agriculture.

References

  1. ↑ "The State 06 Jun 1983, page 20". Newspapers.com. June 6, 1983. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Executive Department" (PDF). South Carolina Legislative Manual (2025 ed.). South Carolina Legislative Services Agency.
  3. ↑ "The Times and Democrat 06 Jun 1974, page 11". Newspapers.com. June 6, 1974. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  4. 1 2 "The Times and Democrat 25 Dec 1988, page 43". Newspapers.com. December 25, 1988. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  5. ↑ "2023-2024 Bill 589: Weathers Family Highway". South Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved October 15, 2026.
  6. ↑ "The Times and Democrat 23 Apr 2012, page 12". Newspapers.com. April 23, 2012. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Ex-lawmaker finds life after prison - Post and Courier". www.postandcourier.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Charles Sharpe, former Agriculture Commissioner, reports to prison".
  9. 1 2 "Hugh Weathers' Biography". votesmart.org. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Title 46 - Agriculture CHAPTER 3 Department and Commissioner of Agriculture SECTION 46-3-40. Election; term; vacancies".
  11. ↑ Loria, Keith. "South Carolina Certified Grown means big business for growers". The Produce News. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  12. 1 2 "Meet the Commissioner". agriculture.sc.gov. South Carolina Department of Agriculture. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  13. 1 2 "2022 Statewide General Election Election Night Reporting". scvotes.org. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Agriculture Commissioner Seeking Final Term in Office". USN. Associated Press. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  15. ↑ "South Carolina Election Report, 2006" (PDF). South Carolina State Election Commission. 2006. PDF page 32. Retrieved October 14, 2026.
  16. ↑ "South Carolina Election Report, 2006" (PDF). South Carolina State Election Commission. 2006. PDF page 51. Retrieved October 14, 2026.
  17. ↑ "2010 General Election, detailed results (South Carolina Election Commission)". South Carolina Election Commission. November 2, 2010. Retrieved October 13, 2026.
  18. ↑ "2014 Republican and Democratic Primary, detailed results (South Carolina Election Commission)". South Carolina Election Commission. June 10, 2014. Retrieved October 15, 2026.
  19. ↑ "2014 Statewide General Election, detailed results (South Carolina Election Commission)". South Carolina Election Commission. November 4, 2014. Retrieved October 10, 2026.
  20. ↑ "2018 Statewide General Elections, detailed results (South Carolina Election Commission)". South Carolina Election Commission. November 6, 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2026.
  21. ↑ "2022 Statewide Primaries, detailed results (South Carolina Election Commission)". South Carolina Election Commission. June 14, 2022. Retrieved October 10, 2026.