(RALEIGH) -- North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler announced at a North Carolina Farm Bureau meeting in Greensboro that he would seek re-election in 2012. Troxler said he is now in position to help North Carolina on a national stage.

"I'm going to be the incoming president of the National Association of Departments of Agriculture starting in September of 2012, so that's going to give North Carolina the opportunity to have even more influence when it comes to possibly a farm bill but certainly policy decisions that are going to affect everybody in agriculture," said Troxler.
 
Troxler, a Republican, narrowly won the 2004 race over Democrat Britt Cobb and got re-elected in 2008 with 52 percent of the vote. "Right now I really enjoy what I'm doing and I think I'm a really good fit for this position, so I'm going to ask the people to support me once again."

Chatham County cattle farmer and former sheriff's deputy Scott Bryant announced in October he would seek the Democratic nomination for commissioner.