Arizona Director of Agriculture

	Arizona Director of Agriculture
	; ;
	General information
Office Type:	Non-partisan
Office website:	Official Link
2012 FY Budget:	$10,760,700
Term limits:	None
	Structure
Length of term:	Serves at the pleasure of the governor
Authority:	Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 3, Chapter 1, Article 1, Section 103
Selection Method:	Appointed by governor
	Current Officeholder
	; ;
Name:	Donald Butler
Officeholder Party:	Nonpartisan
Assumed office:	July 9, 2003
Compensation:	$102,260
	Other Arizona Executive Offices
	Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Superintendent of Public Instruction• Auditor• Agriculture Director • Insurance Director• Lands Commissioner• Labor Director• Corporation Commission• State Mine Inspector

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Current officeholder

The current director is Donald Butler. Butler was appointed to the position in July 2003 by former Governor Janet Napolitano. As the director serves at the governor's pleasure, he is not subject to periodic reappointment.

Before becoming director, Butler headed Shasta Foods International, a Japanese-American meat export company based in California. He also owned the Coronado Cattle Company of Tucson, Arizona. Butler has served as president of the National Cattlemen's Association and as a member of President Ronald Reagan's Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations.

Authority

The office of agriculture director is established by state law.^[1]

Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 3, Chapter 1, Article 1, Section 103

A. The governor shall appoint a director of the department pursuant to section 38-211 to serve at the pleasure of the governor.

Qualifications

The director must have at least a bachelor's degree and five years of experience in agriculture business or production. State law also provides that the candidate's qualifications "shall be reviewed by a committee of five persons selected by the governor."^[1]

Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 3, Chapter 1, Article 1, Section 103

B. The qualifications of candidates for appointment as director shall be reviewed by a committee of five persons selected by the governor.

Appointments

A five person committee appointed by the governor screens initial candidates. Two members of the committee "must be actively engaged" in animal production, two in plant production, and one in agribusiness. No two members of the committee may be residents of the same county. After deliberating, the committee forwards the names of the most qualified candidates to the governor, who then appoints the officeholder.^[1]

Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 3, Chapter 1, Article 1, Section 103

B. The qualifications of candidates for appointment as director shall be reviewed by a committee of five persons selected by the governor. Two of the members of the committee must be actively engaged in animal production, two members must be actively engaged in plant production and one member must be actively engaged in agribusiness, as their major sources of income. No two members may be residents of the same county. The committee shall submit the names of the most qualified candidates to the governor for his selection. The governor may request additional names from the committee if he deems it necessary. A new committee shall be appointed for each vacancy in the position of director.

Term limits

There are no term limits associated with the office of agriculture director.

Vacancies

If a vacancy occurs, the governor appoints a new committee to nominate a replacement.^[1]

Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 3, Chapter 1, Article 1, Section 103

A new committee shall be appointed for each vacancy in the position of director.

Duties

The director heads the Arizona Department of Agriculture, which regulates the state's agriculture industry. Department workers inspect meat, dairy and plants for diseases, pests and other factors, regulates industry business practices, registers and licenses fertilizer, seed and pesticide producers, and performs laboratory analysis of potential problem areas.

Divisions

Animal Services
Environmental Services
plant Services
Agricultural Consultation & Training
Citrus, Fruit & Vegetable
State Agricultural Laboratory

State budget

The budget for the Department of Agriculture in Fiscal Year 2012 was $10,760,700.^[2]

Compensation

See also: Compensation of state executive officers

2012

In 2012, the director of agriculture was paid an estimated $102,260. This figure comes from the Council of State Governments.

2010

In 2010, the director of agriculture received $102,260 in compensation.^[3] The director's salary is determined by law.

Recent news

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