Agriculture commissioner explained

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 IndustriesCommissionerJanuary 2019Republican Party
Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of AgricultureDirectorFebruary 17, 2016Nonpartisan
Arizona Department of AgricultureDirectorApril 10, 2015Nonpartisan
Arkansas Department of AgricultureSecretary2015Nonpartisan
California Department of Food and AgricultureSecretaryJanuary 12, 2011Nonpartisan
Colorado Department of AgricultureCommissionerFebruary 17, 2015Nonpartisan
Connecticut Department of AgricultureCommissionerMarch 1, 2011Nonpartisan
Delaware Department of AgricultureSecretaryJanuary 25, 2017Nonpartisan
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer ServicesCommissionerJanuary 3, 2023Republican Party
Georgia Department of AgricultureCommissionerJanuary 12, 2023Republican Party
Hawaii Department of Agriculture[3] CommissionerFebruary[4] 15, 2019Nonpartisan
Idaho Department of AgricultureDirectorJanuary 2, 2007Nonpartisan
Illinois Department of AgricultureDirectorNovember 16, 2015Nonpartisan
Indiana Department of AgricultureDirectorJanuary 8, 2018Nonpartisan
Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land StewardshipSecretaryMarch 1, 2018
Kansas Department of AgricultureSecretaryDecember 10, 2013Nonpartisan
Kentucky Department of AgricultureCommissionerJanuary 1, 2024
Louisiana Department of Agriculture and ForestryCommissionerJanuary 14, 2008Republican Party
Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and ForestryCommissioner2019Nonpartisan
Maryland Department of AgricultureSecretaryDecember 23, 2014Nonpartisan
Massachusetts Department of AgricultureCommissionerFebruary 6, 2015Nonpartisan
Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural DevelopmentGary McDowell[5] DirectorDecember 2018Nonpartisan
Minnesota Department of AgricultureThom Petersen[6] CommissionerJanuary, 2019Nonpartisan
Mississippi Department of Agriculture and CommerceCommissioner2018Republican Party
Missouri Department of AgricultureDirector2017Nonpartisan
Montana Department of AgricultureChristy Clark[7] DirectorJanuary 31, 2022Nonpartisan
Nebraska Department of AgricultureDirectorDecember 5, 2017Nonpartisan
Nevada Department of AgricultureJennifer Ott[8] DirectorMarch 4, 2019Nonpartisan
New Hampshire Department of AgricultureCommissionerDecember 9, 2017Nonpartisan
New Jersey Department of AgricultureSecretaryFebruary 10, 2009Nonpartisan
New Mexico Department of AgricultureSecretary2011Nonpartisan
New York State Department of Agriculture and MarketsCommissionerJanuary 9, 2014Nonpartisan
North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer ServicesCommissionerFebruary 8, 2005
North Dakota Department of AgricultureCommissioner2009Republican Party
Ohio Department of AgricultureDirectorJanuary 31, 2023Nonpartisan
Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and ForestrySecretaryJanuary 10, 2011Nonpartisan
Oregon Department of AgricultureDirectorJanuary 23, 2017Nonpartisan
Pennsylvania Department of AgricultureSecretaryJanuary 20, 2015Nonpartisan
Rhode Island Department of AgricultureCommissioner1998Nonpartisan
South Carolina Department of AgricultureCommissioner2005Republican Party
South Dakota Department of AgricultureHunter Roberts[9] SecretaryApril 19, 2021[10] Nonpartisan
Tennessee Department of AgricultureDr. Charlie Hatcher[11] CommissionerJanuary 19, 2021Nonpartisan
Texas Department of AgricultureCommissioner2015Republican Party
Utah Department of Agriculture and FoodCraig Buttars[12] CommissionerJanuary 5, 2021[13] Nonpartisan
Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food and MarketsSecretaryJanuary 5, 2017Nonpartisan
Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer ServicesCommissionerMay 21, 2021Nonpartisan
Washington State Department of AgricultureDirectorJune 15, 2015Nonpartisan
West Virginia Department of AgricultureCommissionerJanuary 16, 2017Republican Party
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer ProtectionSecretaryJanuary 7, 2019
Wyoming Department of AgricultureDirectorMarch 15, 2015Nonpartisan

Notes and References

  1. Web site: About NASDA.
  2. Louis Jacobson, Where Have All the Democratic Agriculture Commissioners Gone?, Governing (February 26, 2016).
  3. Web site: Chairperson's Office . 2022-04-27 . hdoa.hawaii.gov . en.
  4. Web site: OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR — News Release – Phyllis Shimabukuro-Geiser appointed as Board of Agriculture chairperson . 2022-04-27 . governor.hawaii.gov . en.
  5. Web site: Meet the Director . 2022-04-27 . www.michigan.gov . en.
  6. Web site: Commissioner's Office Minnesota Department of Agriculture . 2022-04-27 . www.mda.state.mn.us . en.
  7. Web site: Gov. Gianforte Appoints Christy Clark Director of Agriculture . 2022-04-27 . news.mt.gov.
  8. Web site: Governor Sisolak Approves Appointment of Jennifer Ott as of Nevada Department of Agriculture . 2022-04-28 . gov.nv.gov.
  9. Web site: Office Of The Secretary . 2022-04-28 . danr.sd.gov.
  10. Web site: Heemstra . Jody . Operation of new South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources began today . 2022-04-28 . DRGNews . en.
  11. Web site: Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. . 2022-04-28 . www.tn.gov . en.
  12. Web site: Craig Buttars . 2022-04-28 . Governor Spencer J. Cox . en.
  13. Web site: UDAF Welcomes Craig Buttars as New Commissioner of Agriculture and Food Utah Department of Agriculture and Food . 2022-04-28 . en-US.