N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler was raised in the Guilford County community of Browns Summit and has spent his entire career in agriculture as founder, owner and operator of Troxler Farms. Over the years, the family-owned farm has produced tobacco, wheat, vegetables and soybeans.
Since taking office in 2005, Troxler has focused on developing new markets for N.C. farm products, preserving working farms and protecting the state’s food supply.
Troxler is a past president of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. He also is a former chairman of NASDA’s Food Regulation and Nutrition Committee and was honored with a 2015 NASDA award for his commitment to food safety. He served as president of the Southern Association of State Departments of Agriculture in 2010-2011.
He also serves on the boards of the N.C. Foundation for Soil and Water Conservation, the Rural Economic Development Center and the N.C. Biotechnology Center. He is a member of numerous organizations, including the N.C. Tobacco Research Commission and the Southern United States Trade Association.
Honors
For his work in farming and as a public servant, Commissioner Troxler has been recognized with numerous awards. He was named a 2016 Tobacco Great and received a 2015 Distinguished Alumni Award, both from the N.C. State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and a 2015 Friend of the River Award from the Land of Sky Regional Council. His support of agritourism and several major tourism projects in the state earned him the 2014 Public Service Award from the N.C. Travel Industry Association. Other recent honors include the 2013 Forest Conservationist of the Year Award from the N.C. Wildlife Federation; the 2012 Meritorious Service Award from the N.C. Soybean Producers Association; the 2011 Elliot O. Grosvenor Food Safety Award from the Association of Food and Drug Officials; the Distinguished Service Award from the N.C. Agricultural Foundation; and a leadership award from the Western North Carolina Livestock Center and WNC Communities.
During his career, Troxler also has been honored with the Conservation Guardian Award of the Guilford County Soil Conservation Service; the Phillip Morris Outstanding Young Tobacco Farmer Award; the Outstanding Young Farmer Award from the North Carolina Jaycees; the N.C. Agricultural Extension Service’s Outstanding Service Award; the Certificate of Merit from the NCSU chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta agricultural honor society; and an Honorary State FFA Degree. His family was named “Tobacco Farm Family of the Year” by the Tobacco Growers Association of North Carolina.
Education and Family
Troxler is a 1974 graduate of N.C. State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in conservation and a concentration in environmental studies. He and his wife, Sharon, have two grown sons, two daughters-in-law and five grandchildren. In his spare time, Troxler enjoys restoring antique farm equipment and playing with his dogs, Harley and Dash, both are Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.