Delaware Secretary of Agriculture
| Delaware Secretary of Agriculture | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Non-partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| 2013 FY Budget: | $16,564,000 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | Serves at the pleasure of the governor |
| Authority: | Delaware Code, 29-81-8102 |
| Selection Method: | Appointed by the governor |
| Current Officeholder | |
 | |
| Name: | Ed Kee |
| Assumed office: | January 22, 2011 |
| Compensation: | $117,861 |
| Other Delaware Executive Offices | |
| Governor•Lieutenant Governor•Secretary of State•Attorney General•Treasurer•Auditor•Secretary of Education•Agriculture Secretary•Insurance Commissioner•Natural Resources Secretary•Labor Secretary•Public Service Commission | |
Contents |
Current officeholder
The current secretary is Ed Kee, who assumed office on January 22, 2011, following his appointment by Governor Jack Markell. As secretaries of agriculture serve at the governor's pleasure, Kee is not subject to periodic reappointment.
Before becoming secretary, Kee was director of agriculture for Hanover Foods Corporation. From 2004 to 2008, he was extension agricultural program leader for the University of Delaware; he also served as the university's Kent County agricultural agent and its state vegetable crops specialist. Kee holds a B.S. and M.S. in Agriculture from the University of Delaware, as well as an M.A. in Liberal Studies. He and his wife, Debbie, have two daughters and reside near Lincoln City, DE.
Authority
The office of secretary of agriculture is established by state law.[1]
Delaware Code, 29-81-8102
| (a) The administrator and head of the Department shall be the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, who shall be a person qualified by training and experience to perform the duties of the office. |
Qualifications
State law requires the secretary to be "a person qualified by training and experience to perform the duties of the office," but does not give specific guidance as to what that training or experience is.[1]
Appointments
Secretaries are appointed by the governor and must be confirmed by a majority vote of the state Senate. They serve at the governor's pleasure.[1]
Delaware Code, 29-81-8102
| The Secretary shall be appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. |
Term limits
There are no term limits for the office of secretary of agriculture.
Vacancies
When a vacancy occurs, the deputy secretary serves as acting secretary until the governor and Senate select a permanent replacement.[1]
Duties
The secretary is the administrative head of the Delaware Department of Agriculture, which regulates and promotes Delaware agricultural produce. It inspects agricultural goods and production facilities to promote health and safety, provides marketing assistance to the state's farmers, manages state forests, and sets standards for weights and measures. Additionally, the department produces statistics and analysis of the state's agriculture market and regulates horse racing in Delaware.
Divisions
- Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund
- Feed and Fertilizer Compliance
- Food Products Inspection
- Forest Service
- Harness Racing Commission
- Information & Education
- Land Use Planning and Preservation
- Marketing
- Nutrient Management
- Pesticides
- Plant Industries
- Poultry & Animal Health
- Thoroughbred Racing Commission
- Weights and Measures
State budget
The budget for the State Department of Agriculture in the Fiscal Year 2013 was $16,564,000.[2]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
2012
In 2012, the secretary was paid an estimated $117,861. This figure comes from the Council of State Governments.
2010
In 2010, the secretary received compensation in the amount of $112,660.[3] The secretary's compensation is set by law.
Recent news
This section displays the most recent stories in a google news search for the term Delaware + Agriculture + Secretary + Kee
- All stories may not be relevant to this page due to the nature of the search engine.
Delaware Secretary of Agriculture News Feed
- Raw milk could be legalized in Delaware - Cape Gazette
- Dogfish Head's new food truck is Bunyan's Lunchbox - Delmarva Now
- Paul Cartanza a dedicated Delaware farmer - newszap.com
- Millsboro residents seek answers on new chicken plant - Cape Gazette
- Neighbors Voice Concerns Over Proposed Chicken Processing Plant - WBOC ... - WBOC TV 16
- Mid-Atlantic harvets run late, but quality looks good - The Packer
- Farmers, animal owners urged to prepare for storm season - Milford Beacon
- Local farmers' markets kick off summer season - Sussex Countian
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Contact
Office of the Secretary
Secretary Ed Kee
2320 South DuPont Highway
Dover, Delaware 19901
Tel: (302) 698-4500
Tel: (800) 282-8685 (Toll-Free in Delaware Only)
See also
External links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Delaware Code, "29-81-8102," accessed August 11, 2011.
- ↑ Delaware Office of Management and Budget," Budget Development, Planning and Administration - Fiscal Year 2013 Operating and Capital Budget Information," accessed May 28, 2013
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2010 -- Table 4.11," accessed August 10, 2011.
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