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 four members of the Florida Cabinet (along with the governor, chief financial officer, 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 14, 2019Republican Party
Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Agriculture Bryan Scoresby DirectorFebruary 10, 2023Nonpartisan
Arizona Department of Agriculture Paul Brierley DirectorJune 26, 2023Nonpartisan
Arkansas Department of Agriculture Wes Ward Secretary2015Nonpartisan
California Department of Food and Agriculture Karen Ross SecretaryJanuary 12, 2011Nonpartisan
Colorado Department of Agriculture Kate Greenberg CommissionerDecember 21, 2018Nonpartisan
Connecticut Department of Agriculture Bryan Hurlburt CommissionerMarch 29, 2019Nonpartisan
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 Sharon Hurd CommissionerMarch 31, 2023Nonpartisan
Idaho Department of Agriculture Chanel Tewalt DirectorJanuary 23, 2023Nonpartisan
Illinois Department of Agriculture Jerry Costello II DirectorFebruary 28, 2020Nonpartisan
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 Mike Beam SecretaryJanuary 14, 2019Nonpartisan
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 Kevin Atticks SecretaryJanuary 18, 2023Nonpartisan
Massachusetts Department of Agriculture Ashley Randle CommissionerMarch 6, 2023Nonpartisan
Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Tim Boring DirectorMarch 27, 2023Nonpartisan
Minnesota Department of Agriculture Thomas E. Petersen CommissionerJanuary 7, 2019 [3] Nonpartisan
Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson CommissionerApril 2, 2018 Republican Party
Missouri Department of Agriculture Chris Chinn DirectorJanuary 29, 2017Nonpartisan
Montana Department of Agriculture Christy Clark [4] DirectorJanuary 31, 2022 [4] Nonpartisan
Nebraska Department of Agriculture Steve Wellman DirectorDecember 5, 2017Nonpartisan
Nevada Department of Agriculture Jennifer Ott [5] DirectorMarch 4, 2019 [5] Nonpartisan
New Hampshire Department of Agriculture Shawn Jasper CommissionerDecember 9, 2017Nonpartisan
New Jersey Department of Agriculture Ed Wengryn SecretaryMarch 22, 2024Nonpartisan
New Mexico Department of Agriculture Jeff Witte SecretaryMay 2011Nonpartisan
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 Brian Baldridge DirectorJanuary 31, 2023Nonpartisan
Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry Blayne Arthur Secretary December 2018Nonpartisan
Oregon Department of Agriculture Lisa Charpilloz Hanson DirectorDecember 1, 2023Nonpartisan
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Russell Redding SecretaryJanuary 20, 2015Nonpartisan
Rhode Island Department of Agriculture Kenneth Ayars Commissioner1998Nonpartisan
South Carolina Department of Agriculture Hugh Weathers CommissionerSeptember 14, 2004 Republican Party
South Dakota Department of Agriculture Hunter Roberts [6] SecretaryApril 19, 2021 [7] Nonpartisan
Tennessee Department of Agriculture Dr. Charlie Hatcher [8] CommissionerJanuary 19, 2021 [8] Nonpartisan
Texas Department of Agriculture Sid Miller Commissioner2015 Republican Party
Utah Department of Agriculture and Food Craig Buttars [9] CommissionerJanuary 5, 2021 [10] Nonpartisan
Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets Anson Tebbetts SecretaryJanuary 5, 2017Nonpartisan
Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Joseph W. Guthrie CommissionerJanuary 15, 2022Nonpartisan
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 Randy Romanski SecretarySeptember 28, 2021Nonpartisan
Wyoming Department of Agriculture Doug Miyamoto DirectorMarch 15, 2015Nonpartisan

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References

  1. "About NASDA".
  2. 1 2 3 Louis Jacobson, Where Have All the Democratic Agriculture Commissioners Gone?, Governing (February 26, 2016).
  3. "Commissioner's Office | Minnesota Department of Agriculture". www.mda.state.mn.us. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
  4. 1 2 "Gov. Gianforte Appoints Christy Clark Director of Agriculture". news.mt.gov. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
  5. 1 2 "Governor Sisolak Approves Appointment of Jennifer Ott as of Nevada Department of Agriculture". gov.nv.gov. Retrieved 2022-04-28.
  6. "Office Of The Secretary". danr.sd.gov. Retrieved 2022-04-28.
  7. Heemstra, Jody. "Operation of new South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources began today". DRGNews. Retrieved 2022-04-28.
  8. 1 2 "Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M." www.tn.gov. Retrieved 2022-04-28.
  9. "Craig Buttars". Governor Spencer J. Cox. Retrieved 2022-04-28.
  10. "UDAF Welcomes Craig Buttars as New Commissioner of Agriculture and Food | Utah Department of Agriculture and Food" . Retrieved 2022-04-28.