Race Analysis: Florida AG Commissioner Democratic Primary

Florida Democrats will choose their party’s nominee for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture in the Aug. 18 Primary Election, with Pembroke Park Police Department Captain Donald Prichard and attorney Joey Mendoza Atkins competing for the nomination.

The winner of the Democratic Primary will advance to the Nov. 3 General Election to face the Republican nominee for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture.

The Florida Commissioner of Agriculture is a statewide elected official who leads the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) and serves on the four-member Florida Executive Cabinet alongside the Governor, Attorney General, and Chief Financial Officer. While the title may lead one to assume the position is farming-focused, the office actually oversees a wide range of programs that affect everyday Floridians, including food safety inspections, consumer protection, state forests, wildfire response, concealed weapon licensing, and the promotion of Florida's agriculture industry.

As one of Florida’s largest agencies, FDACS oversees multiple divisions and offices, including (but not limited to) the Agricultural Environmental Service, which regulates pesticides, fertilizers, feed, seed, and mosquito programs, the Florida Forest Service, which manages and protects state forest resources and fights wildfires, the Division of Food Safety, the Division of Plant Industry which is responsible for managing invasive plants and protecting honey bees from pests and disease, and the Division of Consumer Services with regulates various businesses and handles consumer complaints. Click here for a full list of offices and divisions overseen by FDACS.

The Commissioner's role also includes making decisions on major statewide issues alongside the Governor and the other Cabinet officers.

Democrat Donald Prichard



Prichard is a career law enforcement officer and current Pembroke Park Police Department captain in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. According to his LinkedIn profile, he formerly served with the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, holding various positions across more than 24 years.

While there doesn’t appear to be a website or social media page dedicated to the candidate’s campaign, Prichard describes himself as a “dedicated law enforcement leader with extensive experience in both policing and labor relations” on his LinkedIn account.

Prichard obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Intelligence Studies from the American Military University, and a Master of Business Administration from Western Governors University. He obtained a Criminal Justice certification from Broward College.

He has also served as a sergeant with the Florida Army National Guard from 1998-2006, Chairman of the Broward County Farm Bureau's Young Farmers and Ranchers from 2018 to 2021, and as both Vice President and President of I.U.P.A. Local 6020, known as the Broward Deputy Sheriffs Association, from 2022-2025. 

As of the most recent campaign finance reporting period ending on July 3, Prichard’s campaign for Commissioner of Agriculture had raised $24,085 in campaign contributions—including $15,000 in reported monetary contributions from the candidate to his own campaign. Of the roughly 39 individuals who make up the remaining contributions to his campaign, all but one reported having a Florida address.

Democrat Joey Mendoza Atkins



A resident of Miami, Atkins is a lifelong Floridian. According to his campaign website, Atkins is running for Florida Agricultural Commissioner to “take on the corruption of multi-millionaire politician Wilton Simpson” and to “protect and preserve Florida’s natural resources, fight for regular Floridians against special interests, and cut costs for Florida families.”

Atkins has previously worked as a sports agent and is a current member of the Florida Bar and a practicing attorney with the Barnes Trial Group law firm.

He obtained a Bachelor’s Degree from Florida Atlantic University where he majored in political science and minored in criminal justice. He received his Juris Doctor in 2013 from the University of Toledo College of Law and later a Master of Arts in 2018 from the Milano School of Policy, Management and Environment at The New School.

As of the most recent campaign finance reporting period ending on July 3, Atkins’ campaign for Commissioner of Agriculture hadn’t raised any funds through monetary contributions. The $8,480 reported on his financial filings was reported entirely as a candidate loan to himself.

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