Agriculture commissioner

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In the state governments of the United States, all 50 states have the executive position of agriculture commissioner, director of agriculture, or secretary of agriculture. This official is in charge of the state's agriculture department. The agriculture commissioners are organized at the national level by the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. [1]

The agriculture commissioner is elected in 12 states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina, Texas, and West Virginia. The powers and duties of the office vary from state to state, but are often substantial: in about 40 states, agriculture departments regulate the animal industry, and in roughly half the states, agriculture departments regulate food safety and meat inspection. [2] In some states, the agriculture commissioner has more power. For example, in Florida the agriculture commissioner is one of three members of the Florida Cabinet (along with the governor and attorney general), giving the commissioner some influence over state policy beyond agriculture. [2] In North Dakota, the agriculture commissioner sits on a number of important boards, such as the North Dakota Industrial Commission (which oversees the state-owned North Dakota Mill and Elevator and Bank of North Dakota). [2]

Departments

StateOfficeholderTitleTerm startParty
Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate CommissionerJanuary 2019Republican Party
Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Agriculture Arthur Keyes DirectorFebruary 17, 2016Nonpartisan
Arizona Department of Agriculture Mark Killian DirectorApril 10, 2015Nonpartisan
Arkansas Department of Agriculture Wes Ward Secretary2015Nonpartisan
California Department of Food and Agriculture Karen Ross SecretaryJanuary 12, 2011Nonpartisan
Colorado Department of Agriculture Don Brown CommissionerFebruary 17, 2015Nonpartisan
Connecticut Department of Agriculture Steven Reviczky CommissionerMarch 1, 2011Nonpartisan
Delaware Department of Agriculture Michael Scuse SecretaryJanuary 25, 2017Nonpartisan
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Wilton Simpson Commissioner January 3, 2023Republican Party
Georgia Department of Agriculture Tyler Harper CommissionerJanuary 12, 2023Republican Party
Hawaii Department of Agriculture Phyllis Shimabukuro-Geiser [3] CommissionerFebruary [4] 15, 2019Nonpartisan
Idaho Department of Agriculture Celia Gould DirectorJanuary 2, 2007Nonpartisan
Illinois Department of Agriculture Raymond Poe DirectorNovember 16, 2015Nonpartisan
Indiana Department of Agriculture Bruce Kettler DirectorJanuary 8, 2018Nonpartisan
Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship Mike Naig Secretary March 1, 2018 Republican Party
Kansas Department of Agriculture Jackie McClaskey SecretaryDecember 10, 2013Nonpartisan
Kentucky Department of Agriculture Jonathan Shell CommissionerJanuary 1, 2024 Republican Party
Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry Michael G. Strain CommissionerJanuary 14, 2008 Republican Party
Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Amanda E. Beal Commissioner2019Nonpartisan
Maryland Department of Agriculture Joe Bartenfelder SecretaryDecember 23, 2014Nonpartisan
Massachusetts Department of Agriculture John Lebeaux CommissionerFebruary 6, 2015Nonpartisan
Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Gary McDowell [5] DirectorDecember 2018 [6] Nonpartisan
Minnesota Department of Agriculture Thom Petersen [7] CommissionerJanuary, 2019 [8] Nonpartisan
Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson Commissioner2018 Republican Party
Missouri Department of Agriculture Chris Chinn Director2017Nonpartisan
Montana Department of Agriculture Christy Clark [9] DirectorJanuary 31, 2022 [10] Nonpartisan
Nebraska Department of Agriculture Steve Wellman DirectorDecember 5, 2017Nonpartisan
Nevada Department of Agriculture Jennifer Ott [11] DirectorMarch 4, 2019 [11] Nonpartisan
New Hampshire Department of Agriculture Shawn Jasper CommissionerDecember 9, 2017Nonpartisan
New Jersey Department of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher SecretaryFebruary 10, 2009Nonpartisan
New Mexico Department of Agriculture Jeff Witte Secretary2011Nonpartisan
New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Richard A. Ball CommissionerJanuary 9, 2014Nonpartisan
North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Steve Troxler Commissioner February 8, 2005 Republican Party
North Dakota Department of Agriculture Doug Goehring Commissioner 2009 Republican Party
Ohio Department of Agriculture David T. Daniels DirectorFebruary 16, 2012Nonpartisan
Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry Jim Reese Secretary January 10, 2011Nonpartisan
Oregon Department of Agriculture Alexis Taylor DirectorJanuary 23, 2017Nonpartisan
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Russell Redding SecretaryJanuary 20, 2015Nonpartisan
Rhode Island Department of Agriculture Kenneth Ayars Commissioner1998Nonpartisan
South Carolina Department of Agriculture Hugh Weathers Commissioner2005 Republican Party
South Dakota Department of Agriculture Hunter Roberts [12] SecretaryApril 19, 2021 [13] Nonpartisan
Tennessee Department of Agriculture Dr. Charlie Hatcher [14] CommissionerJanuary 19, 2021 [14] Nonpartisan
Texas Department of Agriculture Sid Miller Commissioner2015 Republican Party
Utah Department of Agriculture and Food Craig Buttars [15] CommissionerJanuary 5, 2021 [16] Nonpartisan
Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets Anson Tebbetts SecretaryJanuary 5, 2017Nonpartisan
Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Brad Copenhaver CommissionerMay 21, 2021Nonpartisan
Washington State Department of Agriculture Derek Sandison DirectorJune 15, 2015Nonpartisan
West Virginia Department of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt CommissionerJanuary 16, 2017 Republican Party
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Brad Pfaff SecretaryJanuary 7, 2019 Democratic Party
Wyoming Department of Agriculture Doug Miyamoto DirectorMarch 15, 2015Nonpartisan

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  10. "Gov. Gianforte Appoints Christy Clark Director of Agriculture". news.mt.gov. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
  11. 1 2 "Governor Sisolak Approves Appointment of Jennifer Ott as of Nevada Department of Agriculture". gov.nv.gov. Retrieved 2022-04-28.
  12. "Office Of The Secretary". danr.sd.gov. Retrieved 2022-04-28.
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