Candidate for Texas Agriculture Commissioner speaks to Copperas Cove Democrats

By DAVID J. HARDIN

Cove Leader-Press

Copperas Cove Democrats welcomed Texas Agriculture Commissioner candidate Kim Olson to speak at their monthly meeting, held at German Imbiss on Tuesday.

Olson talked about her goals and why she is running for Agricuture Commissioner in the March 2018 primary.

Olson, from Mineral Wells, called her town “unhampered by time and progress.”

“Somehow we have forgotten that Texas was built on the backs of rural Texans, that America was built on the backs of rural Americans, and somehow that got forgotten and guess who reminded us of that fact in 2016? The voters. The Department of Agriculture needs to focus better on rural Texas.

“My goal is to visit every county in the state of Texas, all 254, not because I want to visit with them all, but because rural Texans know what it takes to fix their own communities. These people are going to tell me what I need to do as Agriculture Commissioner for them when I go Austin, and that is to create smart bills that are going to help them, not hurt them. I want to be the voice of those rural Texans until they get a voice of their own, and I want to stand for them so that they can stand for themselves, and that is why I am here tonight, because what you have to say to me is important.”

Olson retired as a Colonel in the United States Air Force, where she served for 28 years.

She has a ranch near Mineral Wells, where she is influencing the future of sustainable food production through her community supported
agriculture program. Olson has a Natural-Organic Certification from the Texas Organic Research Center and is a Texas Master Gardener, provides naturally grown food, raises bees, and is committed to sustainable eco-agriculture.

After retiring from the military in 2005, she became involved with public education. She worked for the Dallas Independent School District as Human Resources Director in 2007. She was also a member of the Weatherford Independent School District Board of Trustees when that board was named Outstanding Texas School Board of the Year in 2009.

Kim returned to military service in 2010, serving with the Texas State Guard for three years as Director of IT and personnel systems at their Austin headquarters.

She also served as CEO/President of Grace After Fire, a nonprofit dedicated to helping women veterans help themselves and was able to help more than 6,000 veteran families. In 2014, Olson was inducted into the Texas Woman’s Hall of Fame.

“She is very dynamic, I really enjoyed it, and it was very informative,” said Edward Bryant, president of the Copperas Cove Democrats.

Martha Jackson is the vice president of the Copperas Cove Democrats, and stated that Olson reminded her of Ann Richards.”

“Kim Olson is a candidate on the par with Jim Hightower,” said Gene Whittle, chairman of the Coryell County Democrats. Hightower served as Texas Agriculture Commissioner from 1983-1991.

Fylicia Gilmore, a member of the Copperas Cove Democrats, said she liked Olson because “she is not afraid to say what is on her mind, and she is very articulate. I will be supporting her.”