In the United States, theagriculture commissioner refers to the head of a state's agriculture department, division, or agency. It is a state-level position within the executive branch of all 50 states. The title and duties of the office vary from state to state, but the general role is to oversee regulation of various facets of the agriculture industry as well as the promotion of state agribusiness. This state executive office is most commonly appointed rather than elected, with only 12 states using the ballot to select their agriculture commissioners. Besides commissioner, other titles assigned to the role of state agriculture chief include "director" and "secretary" (for example,Iowa Secretary of Agriculture andMissouri Director of Agriculture).
This page details the method of selecting agriculture commissioners across the country, which is available by clickinghere. There is also anelection history detailing Ballotpedia's coverage of agriculture commissioner elections dating back to 2010. Ballotpedia also covers theU.S. Department of Agriculture through ourExecutive Branch portal.
| Quick facts about Agriculture Commissioners |
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Method of selection
The agriculture commissioner is appointed by the governor in 38 states, while elections are held for the position in the remaining 12.
Partisan affiliation
Compensation
According to compensation figures for 2023 compiled by the Council of State Governments in theBook of the States, the largest salary for an agriculture commissioner was $232,858 inCalifornia, while the lowest was $90,000 inMississippi. To view the compensation of a specific agriculture commissioner, hover your mouse cursor over the state.
Vacancy fill methods
Current officeholders
List of current commissioners
List of All Current State Agriculture Commissioners in the United States:
| Office | Name | Party | Date assumed office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries | Rick Pate | Republican | January 14, 2019 |
| Alaska Director of Agriculture | Bryan Scoresby | Nonpartisan | February 21, 2023 |
| Arizona Director of Agriculture | Paul Brierley | Nonpartisan | June 23, 2023 |
| Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture | Wes Ward | Nonpartisan | 2015 |
| California Secretary of Agriculture | Karen Ross | Nonpartisan | January 12, 2011 |
| Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture | Kate Greenberg | Nonpartisan | 2018 |
| Connecticut Commissioner of Agriculture | Bryan Hurlburt | Nonpartisan | 2019 |
| Delaware Secretary of Agriculture | Don Clifton | Nonpartisan | January 30, 2025 |
| Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services | Wilton Simpson | Republican | January 3, 2023 |
| Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture | Tyler Harper | Republican | January 9, 2023 |
| Hawaii Commissioner of Agriculture | Sharon Hurd | Nonpartisan | March 31, 2023 |
| Idaho Director of Agriculture | Chanel Tewalt | Nonpartisan | January 23, 2023 |
| Illinois Director of Agriculture | Jerry Costello | Nonpartisan | March 2, 2020 |
| Indiana Director of Agriculture | Don Lamb | Nonpartisan | March 1, 2023 |
| Iowa Secretary of Agriculture | Mike Naig | Republican | March 1, 2018 |
| Kansas Secretary of Agriculture | Mike Beam | Nonpartisan | 2019 |
| Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture | Jonathan Shell | Republican | January 1, 2024 |
| Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry | Michael Strain | Republican | January 14, 2008 |
| Maine Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry | Amanda Beal | Nonpartisan | 2019 |
| Maryland Secretary of Agriculture | Kevin Atticks | Nonpartisan | January 18, 2023 |
| Massachusetts Commissioner of Agriculture | Ashley Randle | Nonpartisan | March 6, 2023 |
| Michigan Director of Agriculture and Rural Development | Timothy Boring | Nonpartisan | March 27, 2023 |
| Minnesota Commissioner of Agriculture | Thom Petersen | Nonpartisan | 2019 |
| Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce | Andy Gipson | Republican | 2018 |
| Missouri Director of Agriculture | Chris Chinn | Nonpartisan | 2017 |
| Montana Director of Agriculture | Jillien Streit | Nonpartisan | January 20, 2025 |
| Nebraska Director of Agriculture | Sherry Vinton | Nonpartisan | January 6, 2023 |
| Nevada Director of Agriculture | Julian Goicoechea | Nonpartisan | January 17, 2023 |
| New Hampshire Commissioner of Agriculture | Shawn Jasper | Nonpartisan | December 9, 2017 |
| New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture | Ed Wengryn | Nonpartisan | March 25, 2024 |
| New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture | Jeff Witte | Nonpartisan | 2011 |
| New York Commissioner of Agriculture | Richard A. Ball | Nonpartisan | January 9, 2014 |
| North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture | Steve Troxler | Republican | February 8, 2005 |
| North Dakota Commissioner of Agriculture | Doug Goehring | Republican | April 6, 2009 |
| Ohio Director of Agriculture | Brian Baldridge | Nonpartisan | January 31, 2023 |
| Oklahoma Commissioner of Agriculture | Blayne Arthur | Nonpartisan | January 14, 2019 |
| Oregon Director of Agriculture | Lisa Charpilloz Hanson | Nonpartisan | February 8, 2024 |
| Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture | Russell Redding | Nonpartisan | 2015 |
| Rhode Island Commissioner of Agriculture | Kenneth Ayars | Nonpartisan | 1998 |
| South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture | Hugh Weathers | Republican | 2005 |
| South Dakota Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources | Hunter Roberts | Nonpartisan | April 19, 2021 |
| Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture | Charlie Hatcher | Nonpartisan | January 1, 2019 |
| Texas Commissioner of Agriculture | Sid Miller | Republican | January 1, 2015 |
| Utah Commissioner of Agriculture and Food | Kelly Pehrson | Nonpartisan | March 8, 2025 |
| Vermont Secretary of Agriculture, Food, and Markets | Anson Tebbetts | Nonpartisan | January 5, 2017 |
| Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry | Matt Lohr | Nonpartisan | January 15, 2022 |
| Washington Director of Agriculture | Derek Sandison | Nonpartisan | June 15, 2015 |
| West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture | Kent Leonhardt | Republican | January 16, 2017 |
| Wisconsin Secretary of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection | Randy Romanski | Nonpartisan | September 28, 2021 |
| Wyoming Director of Agriculture | Doug Miyamoto | Nonpartisan | March 15, 2015 |
Election history
2025
- See also:State executive official elections, 2025
No state is holding elections for agriculture commissioner in 2025.
2024
- See also:State executive official elections, 2024
Two states held elections for agriculture commissioner in 2024:
2023
- See also:State executive official elections, 2023
Three states held elections for agriculture commissioner in 2023:
2022
- See also:State executive official elections, 2022
Seven states held elections for agriculture commissioner in 2022:
2021
- See also:State executive official elections, 2021
No state held elections for agriculture commissioner in 2021.
2020
- See also:State executive official elections, 2020
Two states held elections for agriculture commissioner in 2020:
2019
- See also:State executive official elections, 2019
Three states held elections for agriculture commissioner in 2019:
2018
- See also:State executive official elections, 2018
Seven states held elections for agriculture commissioner in 2018.
2017
There were no agriculture commissioner elections in 2017.
2016
- See also:Agriculture Commissioner elections, 2016
Two states held elections for agriculture commissioner in 2016:
2015
- See also:State executive official elections, 2015
Three states held scheduled elections for agriculture commissioner in 2015:Kentucky,Louisiana andMississippi.Republican incumbentsMichael Strain of Louisiana andCindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi retained their seats.Ryan Quarles (R) was elected as agriculture commissioner in Kentucky.
2014
- Main article:State executive official elections, 2014
Seven states held regularly scheduled agriculture commissioner elections in the 2014 electoral cycle:Alabama,Florida,Georgia,Iowa,North Dakota,South Carolina andTexas.Republicans entered the election with all seven seats and retained these offices on November 4, 2014. Six incumbents ran for re-election and won whileSid Miller (R) replacedTodd Staples (R) inTexas.
2013
There were no agriculture commissioner elections in 2013.
2012
- Main article:State executive official elections, 2012
Two states held scheduled agriculture commissioner elections in the 2012 electoral cycle:North Carolina andWest Virginia.
No party changes resulted from either election. IncumbentSteve Troxler (R) won re-election in North Carolina andWalt Helmick(D) won election in West Virginia, replacing former officeholderGus Douglass (D).
See also
External links
Footnotes
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