Agriculture Commissioner (state executive office)
In the United States, the agriculture 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 and Missouri Director of Agriculture).
This page details the method of selecting agriculture commissioners across the country, which is available by clicking here. There is also an election history detailing Ballotpedia's coverage of agriculture commissioner elections dating back to 2010. Ballotpedia also covers the U.S. Department of Agriculture through our Executive Branch portal.
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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 2022 compiled by the Council of State Governments in the Book of the States, the largest salary for an agriculture commissioner is $227,179 in California, while the lowest is $84,225 in New Mexico. To view the compensation of a specific agriculture commissioner, hover your mouse cursor over the state.
Current officeholders
List of current commissioners
List of All Current State Agriculture Commissioners in the United States:
Election history
2024
- See also: State executive official elections, 2024
Two states are holding 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 and Mississippi. Republican incumbents Michael Strain of Louisiana and Cindy 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 and Texas. Republicans entered the election with all seven seats and retained these offices on November 4, 2014. Six incumbents ran for re-election and won while Sid Miller (R) replaced Todd Staples (R) in Texas.
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 and West Virginia.
No party changes resulted from either election. Incumbent Steve Troxler (R) won re-election in North Carolina and Walt Helmick (D) won election in West Virginia, replacing former officeholder Gus Douglass (D).
See also
- National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
- State executive offices
- State executive official elections, 2022
- State executive official elections, 2023
- State executive official elections, 2024
External links
Footnotes
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