Commissioner of Agriculture
The Basics
All 50 states have a Commissioner of Agriculture (sometimes the official is called a Director or Secretary instead). In most states, the Governor appoints someone to serve in this role, but in 12 states it’s a statewide elected position. The Commissioner leads a state-level department focused on agriculture and food, which are issues that impact every single person in your state.
In a lot of states, Agriculture Commissioners are in charge of regulating the animal industry – that means farming, food safety, meat production, and other responsibilities that make sure the food you buy is safe to eat. Agriculture departments also provide resources for farmers and rural communities. In some states, the Agriculture department manages school lunch programs, food assistance for low-income families, or even cannabis regulation. Their decisions can have an impact on land use, climate issues, conservation, public health, and more.
In some states, Agriculture Commissioners have other powers:
- Sitting in the Governor’s Cabinet
A cabinet is a group made up of the state government’s major leaders, which advises the Governor on all kinds of issues. If the Agriculture Commissioner in your state is a part of the Cabinet, that means they could potentially influence the Governor’s decisions on other issues too. - Consumer protection
Making sure businesses aren’t using any unfair, fraudulent, or deceptive practices that hurt consumers - Sitting on boards that are focused on specific industries, issues or policy areas
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Source: the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
What have Commissioners of Agriculture done?
Decisions about food and agriculture policy affect the daily lives of every single person in your state. Here are just a few examples of actions that have made a big impact:
- Mike Strain
Louisiana
After the worst wildfire season in the state’s history, Strain proposed adding a Director of Meteorology in his department, and the state legislature approved funding for more firefighting equipment and personnel - Nikki Fried
Florida
When the pandemic began in 2020, Fried requested and received funding from the federal government to provide free meals to students, so kids who depended on the meals could still get them even when schools were closed - Sid Miller
Texas
Reversed a ban on sodas and fried foods in the state’s public schools, saying school districts should be able to decide their own food policies
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In the 2000s, major hurricanes like Katrina and Rita caused widespread damage across Louisiana, especially to farms and forests. Katrina alone led to about $882 million in crop losses and damaged or destroyed nearly 320 million trees. Many farming families are still dealing with the long-term costs of rebuilding, and saltwater from the storm surges soaked into the soil, reducing crop yields for years afterward. Forests also suffered: trees were uprooted, erosion worsened, water quality declined, and public lands were damaged. Replanting forests is an expensive and slow process, and even 20 years later, cities like New Orleans are still working to replace the 200,000 trees they lost to Katrina. Overseeing the massive recovery process for farms and public lands was the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.
After these storms, Agriculture Commissioner Bob Odom worked with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Louisiana’s representatives in Congress to secure emergency funding to help local farmers. He also pushed the USDA to more quickly release a specific type of aid funding after major natural disasters, but that effort wasn’t successful. By pushing for aid and collaboration from the federal government, Commissioner Odom played an important role in Louisiana’s recovery from one of the worst disasters in state history.
Sources: the Congressional Research Service; NASA Earth Observatory; Louisiana State University AgCenter; NPR; KSLA 12 News
How does it work in my state?
Scroll down and click on your state to learn more about the specifics of the Commissioner of Agriculture’s powers and responsibilities where you live. (If your state isn’t here yet, check back often – we’re adding more info all the time. If your state doesn’t elect the Commissioner of Agriculture, it won’t appear here.)
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Term limits: none; terms are four years
Eligibility: to run for Commissioner, you must be at least 25 years old, a registered Louisiana voter, and have been a US citizen and resident of Louisiana for at least 5 years.
The Commissioner runs the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. Both industries are very important to the economy in Louisiana: the state has over 24,000 farms and almost half its land is forested. Some of the Commissioner’s most important responsibilities are:
- Food safety and regulation
Safety inspections, tracking livestock, and ensuring fair prices - Making sure agricultural products are safe and meet quality standards
Including fertilizers, animal feed, pesticides, and more - Soil and water conservation
Working to reduce soil erosion, prevent pollution, and help farms deal with climate-related challenges - Managing public lands
Including wildfire and disaster response
Sources: the Louisiana Constitution; the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry; the USDA 2024 State Agriculture Review; the USDA Forest Service
- Food safety and regulation
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Term limits: none; terms are four years
Eligibility: to run for any office in North Carolina, you must be at least 21 years old and eligible to vote in the state
The Commissioner of Agriculture leads the state’s Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. Their most important powers and responsibilities are:
- Serving as chair of the state Board of Agriculture
This group makes policies and rules for the programs that the department runs. The other members are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the State Senate - Overseeing the state’s agricultural industry
Including regulating pest control, fertilizer use, marketing, animal health, and more - Running conservation and forest management programs
The Department promotes soil and water conservation, helps the agricultural industry address environmental issues, manages forests to reduce fire risk, and more - Running the state fair and state farmers markets
- Running consumer safety programs
The Department tests food, drugs, and cosmetics to make sure they’re not contaminated with anything, and performs routine safety inspections at all businesses that sell oil and gas - Running assistance programs for farms and agriculture businesses
If the state experiences a natural disaster like a hurricane, or another type of emergency affecting the agricultural industry, this department plays an important role in the recovery
Sources: the North Carolina Constitution, Article III and Article VI; the North Carolina General Statutes, Chapter 106; North Carolina State Board of Elections; the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services
- Serving as chair of the state Board of Agriculture