The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) is an independent

agency Agency may refer to: Organizations * Institution, governmental or others ** Advertising agency or marketing agency, a service business dedicated to creating, planning and handling advertising for its clients ** Employment agency, a business that ...

of the

government of Alabama The government of Alabama is organized under the provisions of the 1901 Constitution of Alabama, the lengthiest constitution of any political entity in the world. Like other states within the United States, Alabama's government is divided into ex ...

first created by an Act of the State Legislature on February 23, 1883. The Department is responsible for serving

farmer A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, raising living organisms for food or raw materials. The term usually applies to people who do some combination of raising field crops, orchards, vineyards, poultry, or other livestock. A farmer mig ...

s and consumers of agricultural products and operates with an annual budget of just under $25 million. The Department has about 300 full-time employees and 250 part-time employees.

Commissioners

The Department is under the direction and supervision of the Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries. The first Commissioner was Edward C. Betts of Madison County and he was appointed by then Governor of Alabama, Edward A. O'Neal. In 1891, the legislature changed it to a statewide elected office chosen in partisan elections, but allowing the Governor to fill vacancies that occur during a term due to death or resignation. Commissioners have always been eligible to serve an unlimited number of terms, but not consecutively. Beginning with the 1970 election Commissioners were then allowed to serve two consecutive terms. The current and 30th Commissioner is

Rick Pate Rick Pate (born April 6, 1955) is an American politician serving as the 30th Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries in Alabama. He previously served as mayor of Lowndesboro, Alabama from 2004 until his election as Commissioner of Agriculture ...

of Lowndes County who was elected in November, 2018 and assumed office on January 14, 2019. His immediate predecessor and the 29th Commissioner was John McMillan, a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

first elected in November 2010 and not eligible to seek a third consecutive term. Commissioner McMillan previously worked for the

Alabama Forestry Commission The Alabama Forestry Commission (AFC) is the forest management agency for the U.S. state of Alabama. It was created as a state agency by an act of the Alabama Legislature in 1924. Its general mission is protecting Alabama's forests from wildfire ...

. Jack Thompson was the first Republican elected Commissioner. Both Commissioners Pete Gilmer and McMillan Lane were first appointed to office by Governor George C. Wallace upon the death of their predecessors. A. W. Todd not only has the distinction of being the only Commissioner to serve three terms, but he was both the youngest and the oldest Commissioner. The following is a list of all the commissioners:Alabama Department of Archives and History *

(R) (2019–present) * John McMillan (R) (2011–2019) * Ron Sparks (D) (2003–2011) * Charles Bishop (D) (1999–2003) * Jack Thompson (R) (1995–1999) * A. W. Todd (D) (1991–1995) *

Albert McDonald Albert Clyde McDonald (September 15, 1930 – July 6, 2014) was an American politician and member of the Democratic Party. Born in Dayton, Tennessee, McDonald graduated from Auburn University. McDonald raised soy beans and cotton on his far ...

(D) (1983–1991) * McMillan Lane (D) (1974–1983) * M. D. "Pete" Gilmer (D) (1972–1974) (died in office) * Richard Beard (D) (1967–1972) (died in office) * A. W. Todd (D) (1963–1967) * R. L. "Red" Bamberg (D) (1959–1963) * A. W. Todd (D) (1955–1959) * Frank McLean Stewart (D) (1951–1955) * Haygood Paterson (D) (1947–1951) * Joseph N. Polle (D) (1943–1947) * Haygood Paterson (D) (1939–1943) * R.J. Goode (D) (1935–1939) * Seth Paddock Storrs (D) (1931–1935) * S.M. Dunwoody (D) (1927–1931) * J.M. Moore (D) (1923–1927) *

Miles C. Allgood Miles Clayton Allgood (February 22, 1878 – March 4, 1977) was an American politician and a U.S. Representative from Alabama. Biography Born in Chepultepec (now Allgood), Blount County, Alabama, Allgood was the son of William Barnett and Mar ...

(D) (1919–1923) * James A. Wade (D) (1915–1919) * Reuben F. Kolb (D) (1911–1915) * Joseph A. Wilkinson (D) (1907–1911) * Robert R. Polle (D) (1900–1907) * Isaac F. Culver (D) (1896–1900) * Hector D. Lane (D) (1891–1896) * Reuben F. Kolb (D) (1887–1891) * Edward C. Betts (D) (1883–1887)

Organization

The Commissioner is assisted in managing the Department by a Deputy Commissioner and Chief of Staff, two Deputy Commissioners and one Assistant Commissioner. *Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries **Deputy Commissioner and Chief of Staff ***Deputy Commissioner ****Food and Safety Division *****Food Safety Section *****Weights and Measures Section *****Pesticide Management Section ***Deputy Commissioner ****Agricultural and Animal Protection Division *****Animal Industry Section *****Plant Industry Section *****Agricultural Promotions Section *****Agricultural Mediation Section *****Agricultural Statistics Section ***Assistant Commissioner ****Executive Division *****Accounting Section *****General Services Section *****Personnel Section *****Public Relations Section *****Agricultural Economics Section *****Agricultural Homeland Security Section

References

External links

2018 Republican Candidates
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alabama Department Of Agriculture and Industries Alabama Commissioners of Agriculture and Industries Agriculture, Department of State departments of agriculture of the United States 1883 establishments in Alabama

Commissioners

Organization

See also

References

External links