The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection is a governmental agency of the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

responsible for regulating

agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...

trade Trade involves the transfer of goods and services from one person or entity to another, often in exchange for money. Economists refer to a system or network that allows trade as a market. An early form of trade, barter, saw the direct excha ...

, and commercial activity in the state. The department is administered by a secretary who is appointed by 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 confirmed by the

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

. The department is directed and supervised by a nine-member Board of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, who serve staggered six year terms and are appointed by the governor. Two of the board members are required to be consumer representatives, while the other seven are required to have an agricultural background.

History

In 1929, the state government merged the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Markets, and consolidated the Dairy and Food Commissioner, the State Treasury Agent, the State Supervisor of Inspectors of Illuminating Oils, and the State Humane Agent to form the Department of Agriculture and Markets. The department was overseen by three commissioners who were all appointed by the governor. In 1939, the department was renamed the Department of Agriculture. The department was then overseen by a seven member Board of Agriculture, who were all appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate. All seven members were required to have an agricultural background. This board appointed the department's Secretary. In 1979, the department was renamed the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. The law was changed so that one of the seven members on the board must be a consumer representative. In 1995, the state legislature allowed the governor to appoint the department Secretary, and expanded the board to eight members, including two consumer representatives. In 1997, the state legislature expanded the board to nine members, including seven members with agricultural backgrounds and two consumer representatives.

Divisions

*Agricultural Development: promotes Wisconsin products and provides counseling and mediation services to farmers *Agricultural Resource Management: protects resources and public health *Animal Health: works to diagnose, prevent, and control serious animal diseases *Food Safety: regulates food production *Management Services: provides the administrative work for the department *Trade and Consumer Protection: enforces consumer protection laws

References

External links

Official website
Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Government agencies established in 1929 1929 establishments in Wisconsin {{wisconsin-stub