North Dakota Commissioner of Agriculture
| North Dakota Commissioner of Agriculture | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| 2011-2013 FY Budget: | $22,997,997 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | North Dakota Constitution, Article V, Section 2 |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder | |
 | |
| Name: | Doug Goehring |
| Officeholder Party: | Republican |
| Assumed office: | April 2009 |
| Compensation: | $90,122 |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 4, 2014 |
| Last election: | November 2, 2010 |
| Other North Dakota Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission • Tax Commissioner | |
Contents |
Current officeholder
The current officeholder is Doug Goehring. He was appointed in April 2009 to fill a vacancy, and was subsequently elected to a full, four-year term in 2010.
Authority
The state Constitution establishes the office of agriculture commissioner in Article V, Section 2:
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The qualified electors of the state at the times and places of choosing members of the legislative assembly shall choose a governor, lieutenant governor, agriculture commissioner, attorney general, auditor, insurance commissioner, three public service commissioners, secretary of state, superintendent of public instruction, tax commissioner, and treasurer. ... |
Qualifications
Article V, Section 4 of the North Dakota Constitution establishes the qualifications to hold the office of agriculture commissioner:
| To be eligible to hold an elective office established by this article, a person must be a qualified elector of this state, must be at least twenty-five years of age on the day of the election, and must have been a resident of this state for the five years preceding election to office. To be eligible to hold the office of governor or lieutenant governor, a person must be at least thirty years old on the day of the election. The attorney general must be licensed to practice law in this state. |
- qualified North Dakota voter
- at least 25 years old
- a resident of North Dakota for at least the five preceding years
Elections
The commissioner of agriculture in North Dakota is popularly elected every four years, in midterm election years. For North Dakota, 2014, 2018, and 2022 are all tax commissioner election years. The term of office is four years.
Vacancies
Article V, Section 8 addresses vacancies in state executive offices. In the event of a vacancy, the governor nominates a successor who must be confirmed by the state senate. Once confirmed, the individual serves the remainder of the unexpired term.
Duties
Agriculture is one of North Dakota's leading industries, and the commissioner is responsible for ensuring the safety of people, animals, and plants across the state. The primary duties of the office are:
- protect livestock and other domestic animals from disease
- inspect farms and processing plants
- regulate pesticide production, use and disposal
- provide mediation services to farmers
- certify the state's commodities
- work with local jurisdictions on crop control[1]
Divisions
- The Agricultural Mediation Service offers assistance to financially distressed farmers and ranchers with personalized help in negotiating credit and financial disputes.
- The Business Development Division provides education, marketing and management services to farmers, on-farm businesses, youth, and agriculture-related industries.
- The Livestock Division licenses livestock dealers and livestock auction markets in order to protect livestock producers.
- The Pesticides Division regulates the proper use, registration, distributions, sale and storage of pesticides within the state.
- The Plant Division regulates crop production, nurseries and import and export certifications.
- The North Dakota Board of Animal Health is comprised of representatives from each of the state's major livestock groups and chaired by the state veterinarian. The board is responsible for the controlling, preventing and eradicating diseases in all animals within the state, including pets.
State budget
The budget for the Department of Agriculture in Fiscal Year 2011-2013 was $22,997,997.[2]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
In 2012, the North Dakota Commissioner of Agriculture was paid an estimated $90,122. This figure comes from the Council of State Governments.
Contact information
North Dakota Department of Agriculture
600 East Boulevard, Dept 602
Bismarck, ND 58505-0020
Phone: 701-328-2231
Toll free: 1-800-242-7535
Fax: 701-328-4567
Email: Department of Agriculture Contact for all divisions and staff
See also
External links
References
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