Georgia's longest serving statewide official -- Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin -- is retiring from office. When political candidate qualifying ended at noon on Friday, it was the first time in more than 50 years that Irvin had not paid his qualifying fee to run for public office in our state.

Irvin, the longest serving Commissioner of Agriculture in the U.S., was elected to his first public office in 1956 as a member of the Habersham County Board of Education. He served four terms in the Georgia House representing Habersham County in north Georgia. The tall, lanky Georgia giant of a man then was elected to 10, four-year terms as our state's Commissioner of Agriculture.