In the
U.S. state of
North Dakota
North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the Native Americans in the United States, indigenous Dakota people, Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north a ...
, the Agriculture Commissioner, formerly known as the Commissioner, is an
elected official who heads the
North Dakota Department of Agriculture
The North Dakota Department of Agriculture is a part of the government of the U.S. state of North Dakota. The department fosters a healthy economic, environmental, and social climate for agriculture and the rural community through leadership, advoc ...
. The present commissioner is
Doug Goehring, a Republican.
The office is a high-profile position, as agriculture is key to the state economy. The Commissioner of Agriculture is also a member of the
North Dakota Industrial Commission The North Dakota Industrial Commission is the body that oversees the management of several separate programs and resources, including the Bank of North Dakota, North Dakota Mill and Elevator, and the Department of Mineral Resources. By law, it has ...
, a three-member panel that oversees North Dakota's
state-owned enterprise
A state-owned enterprise (SOE) is a Government, government entity which is established or nationalised by the ''national government'' or ''provincial government'' by an executive order or an act of legislation in order to earn Profit (econom ...
s and also includes the
Governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
and
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general.
In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...
. The Agriculture Commissioner also sits alongside the Governor and seven other members on the State Water Commission.
History
Originally, the Department of Agriculture was combined with the
North Dakota Department of Labor and was collectively called the
North Dakota Department of Agriculture and Labor
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography.
Etymology
T ...
until 1966 when the two agencies split. The Agriculture Commissioner's term was then extended from two years to four, and was placed on a party affiliated ballot, while the Commissioner of Labor was placed on a no party ballot. The title of the office was changed in 1996 from Commissioner of Agriculture to Agriculture Commissioner.
See also
*
List of Agriculture Commissioners of North Dakota
*
North Dakota Commissioner of Agriculture and Labor The North Dakota Commissioner of Agriculture and Labor was an elected official who headed the North Dakota Department of Agriculture and Labor. The office was established with the state's constitution in 1889, and was split into two separate offices ...
Notes
External links
Commissioner Biography page - North Dakota Department of Agriculture
North Dakota Commissioners of Agriculture
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