| Agency Name: | Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry |
| Formed: | November 16, 1907 |
| Headquarters: | 2800 N. Lincoln Blvd Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
| Employees: | 478 (FY2011) |
| Budget: | $87.7 million (FY2011) |
| Minister1 Name: | Blayne Arthur |
| Chief1 Name: | Blayne Arthur |
| Chief1 Position: | Commissioner and President of the State Board of Agriculture |
| Chief2 Name: | Betty Thompson |
| Chief2 Position: | Deputy Commissioner |
| Website: | Oklahoma Department of Agriculture |
The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry is a department of the government of Oklahoma under the Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture. It is responsible for providing services and expertise that promote and protect Oklahoma's food supply and natural resources while stimulating economic growth.
The Department is governed by the State Board of Agriculture. The Board consists of five members appointed by the Governor of Oklahoma, with the approval of the Oklahoma Senate. The Governor designates one of the members as President of the Board, who serves as the Commissioner of Agriculture. The Commissioner is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations and policies of the Department.
The current Commissioner of Agriculture is Blayne Arthur, who was appointed by Governor Kevin Stitt in 2019.
The Department was created in 1907 during the term of Governor Charles N. Haskell.
The Agriculture Department protects and educates consumers about Oklahoma’s agricultural and livestock productions. Its purpose is to develop and execute policy on farming, agriculture, and food. It aims to meet the needs of farmers and ranchers, promote agricultural trade and production, work to assure food safety, protect natural resources, foster rural communities, also to meet the needs of Oklahomans.
The Department is under the supervision of the Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture. The State Board of Agriculture governs the Department and is administered by the Commissioner of Agriculture (who is the President of the State Board of Agriculture). Under Governor Kevin Stitt, Blayne Arthur is serving concurrently as both Secretary and Commissioner.
The governing body of the Department is the State Board of Agriculture, which is composed of five members appointed by the Governor with the consent of the Oklahoma Senate. Members must be farmers with at least five years of practical experience in agriculture. The state is divided into four agricultural districts and a member is appointed to a four-year term from each of the districts. An at large position is appointed by the Governor to be the President of the State Board of Agriculture and serves at the pleasure of the Governor.
As of 2011, the following are the members of the State Board of Agriculture:
The Agriculture Department, with an annual budget of over $50 million, is one of the larger employers of the State. For fiscal year 2010, the Bureau was authorized 477 full-time employees.[1]
| Division | Number of Employees | |
|---|---|---|
| Administration Division | 54 | |
| Public Information Office | 3 | |
| Legal Services Division | 7 | |
| Agricultural Environmental Services Division | 14 | |
| Statistic Reporting Services Division | 3 | |
| Forestry Services Division | 161 | |
| Animal Industry Division | 32 | |
| Market Development Division | 19 | |
| Consumer Services Division | 58 | |
| Wildlife Services Division | 19 | |
| Food Safety Division | 67 | |
| Agricultural Laboratory Services | 41 | |
| Total | 478 |
The Agriculture Department has an annual budget of almost $90 million. Each of the Department's operating units how the following operating budget:[2]
| Program | Funding (in millions) | |
|---|---|---|
| Administration Services | $18.2 | |
| Legal Services | $0.8 | |
| Agricultural Environmental Services | $2.7 | |
| Forestry Services | $14.9 | |
| Animal Industry Services | $4.2 | |
| Market Development Services | $5.9 | |
| Consumer Protection Services | $7.2 | |
| Wildlife Services | $2.8 | |
| Food Safety Services | $4.7 | |
| Agricultural Laboratory Services | $4.1 | |
| Agriculture Programs | $22.2 | |
| Total | $87.7 |
The purpose of the Oklahoma Boll Weevil Eradication Organization is to assist cotton growers in the State in the eradication of the boll weevil. The OBWEO is funded by assessments made against cotton producers. The board that controls the OBWEO is composed of five members, who are each elected from the cotton producers of their respective districts. The OBWEO has annual budget of just under $1 million and employs 14 people (for fiscal year 2011).
The Oklahoma Peanut Commission was established in 1965 to promote and encourage the production and sale of peanuts and related products. The Commission engages in research designed to strengthen the peanut market by developing new production methods and uses for peanuts. The Commission is composed of six members, each appointed by the Governor without the approval of the Senate. The Commission has annual budget of just under $200,000 and employs two people.
The Oklahoma Wheat Commission was established to develop and expand domestic and international markets for Oklahoma's wheat producers. The Commission is composed of five members appointed by the Governor without the approval of the Senate. The Commission is responsible for researching new wheat production techniques, provides educational material, and works to expand the wheat market. The Commission has an annual budget of over $1.5 million and employs six people.