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Connecticut Commissioner of Agriculture
| Connecticut Commissioner of Agriculture | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Nonpartisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $167,969 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $8,182,243 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | General Statutes of Connecticut, 22-422-1 |
| Selection Method: | Appointed by governor |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
Connecticut Commissioner of Agriculture
Bryan Hurlburt | |
| Other Connecticut Executive Offices | |
| Governor•Lieutenant Governor•Secretary of State•Attorney General•Treasurer•Comptroller•Commissioner of Education•Agriculture Commissioner•Insurance Commissioner•Energy & Environmental Protection Commissioner•Labor Commissioner•Public Utilities Regulatory Authority | |
The Connecticut Commissioner of Agriculture is a state executive position in the Connecticut state government. The commissioner oversees the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, which is directed to encourage and promote the development of agriculture within Connecticut. The department, under the direction of the commissioner, also publishes research and statistics regarding the state's agriculture industry and enforces regulations on the industry.[1]
Current officeholder
The current Connecticut Commissioner of Agriculture is Bryan Hurlburt (nonpartisan). Hurlburt assumed office in 2019.
Authority
The office of agriculture commissioner is established by statute.[2]
General Statutes of Connecticut, 22-422-1
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There shall be a state Department of Agriculture, consisting of a Commissioner of Agriculture and, subject to the provisions of chapter 67, such employees as may be necessary for the performance of the duties required by the general statutes. |
Qualifications
State law requires that the commissioner be "qualified by training and experience for the duties of his office," but does not establish any specific requirements.[3]
General Statutes of Connecticut, 4-46-8
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Each department head shall be qualified by training and experience for the duties of his office. |
Appointments
Agriculture commissioners are appointed by the governor subject to confirmation by the legislature. The commissioner serves at the governor's pleasure for four-year terms beginning on the first day of March in the year of the appointment.[4]
General Statutes of Connecticut, 4-46-6
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the Governor shall, with the advice and consent of either house of the General Assembly, appoint each department head in the manner prescribed by section 4-7 and section 4-8, to serve at the pleasure of the Governor but no longer than four years from the first day of March in the year of his appointment, unless reappointed under the provisions of said sections. |
Term limits
- See also: State executive official term limits
There are no term limits associated with the office of agriculture commissioner.
Vacancies
As with all state appointive offices, vacancies in the office of agriculture commissioner are filled by the governor and approved by a majority vote in both houses of the legislature. If a vacancy occurs while the legislature is not in session, the governor may appoint a replacement to serve until the sixth Wednesday of the next legislative session.[5]
Duties
The commissioner of agriculture is the chief executive of the Connecticut Department of Agriculture and coordinates and plans its activities.
The Department of Agriculture's responsibilities include both regulating and promoting Connecticut's agriculture industry. Its statutory duties include:[6]
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Divisions
As of January 13, 2021, divisions within the Department of Agriculture included:[8]
- Commissioner's Office
- Bureau of Agricultural Development & Resource Conservation
- Bureau of Aquaculture & Laboratory
- Bureau of Regulatory Services
State budget
- See also: Connecticut state budget and finances
The budget for the Department of Agriculture in the 2025 Fiscal Year was $8,182,243.[9]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $167,969, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $140,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2021
In 2021, the commissioner received a salary of $140,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2020
In 2020, the commissioner received a salary of $140,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2019
In 2019, the commissioner received a salary of $140,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2018
In 2018, the commissioner received a salary of $132,160 according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2017
In 2017, the commissioner received a salary of $132,160 according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
2016
In 2016, the commissioner’s salary was increased to $132,160 according to the Council of State Governments.[17]
2015
In 2015, the commissioner received a salary $118,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[18]
2014
In 2014, the commissioner received a salary of $118,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[19]
2013
In 2013, the commissioner received a salary of $118,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[20]
2012
In 2012, the commissioner received a salary of $118,000 according to the Council of State Governments.
Historical officeholders
There have been 49 Connecticut agriculture commissioners (and equivalent officers) since 1866.[21]
| List of officeholders from 1866-Present | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name | Tenure | |||
| 1 | Gov. J. R. Hawley | 1866-1867 | |||
| 2 | Gov. James E. English | 1867-1869 | |||
| 3 | Gov. Marshall Jewell | 1869-1870 | |||
| 4 | Gov. James E. English | 1870-1871 | |||
| 5 | Gov. Marshall Jewell | 1871-1872 | |||
| 6 | Gov. Charles R. Ingersoll | 1873-1877 | |||
| 7 | Gov. Richard D. Hubbard | 1877-1879 | |||
| 8 | Gov. Charles B. Andrews | 1879-1881 | |||
| 9 | Gov. Hobart B. Bigelow | 1881-1883 | |||
| 10 | Gov. Thomas M. Waller | 1883-1885 | |||
| 11 | Gov. Henry B. Harrison | 1885-1887 | |||
| 12 | Gov. Phineas C. Lounsbury | 1887-1889 | |||
| 13 | Gov. Morgan G. Bulkeley | 1889-1893 | |||
| 14 | Gov. Luzon B. Morris | 1893-1895 | |||
| 15 | Gov. Vincent Coffin | 1895-1897 | |||
| 16 | Gov. Lorrin A. Cooke | 1897-1899 | |||
| 17 | Gov. George E. Lounsbury | 1899-1901 | |||
| 18 | Gov. George P. McLean | 1901-1903 | |||
| 19 | Gov. Abiram Chamberlain | 1903-1905 | |||
| 20 | Gov. Henry Roberts | 1905-1907 | |||
| 21 | Gov. Rollin S. Woodruff | 1907-1909 | |||
| 22 | Gov. George L. Lilley | 1909 | |||
| 23 | Gov. Frank B. Weeks | 1909-1911 | |||
| 24 | Gov. Simeon E. Baldwin | 1911-1915 | |||
| 25 | Gov. Marcus H. Holcomb | 1915-1921 | |||
| 26 | Gov. Everett J. Lake | 1921-1923 | |||
| 27 | Gov. Charles A. Templeton | 1923-1925 | |||
| 28 | Gov. Hiram Bingham | 1925 | |||
| 29 | Gov. John H. Trumbull | 1925 | |||
| 30 | Philo T. Platt, 1st Commissioner | 1925-1927 | |||
| 31 | Leonard Holmes Healey | 1927-1928 | |||
| 32 | S. McLean Buckingham | 1928-1932 | |||
| 33 | Olcott F. King | 1932-1944 | |||
| 34 | Frank H. Peet | 1944-1946 | |||
| 35 | John Christensen | 1946-1954 | |||
| 36 | Joseph N. Gill | 1954-1970 | |||
| 37 | John T. Macdonald | 1970-1973 | |||
| 38 | Fenton P. Futtner | 1973-1974 | |||
| 39 | George M. Wilber | 1974-1977 | |||
| 40 | Leonard E. Krogh | 1977-1982 | |||
| 41 | H. Earl Waterman | 1982-1983 | |||
| 42 | Kenneth B. Andersen | 1983-1990 | |||
| 43 | John J.C. Herndon | 1990-1991 | |||
| 44 | John R.H. Blum | 1991-1995 | |||
| 45 | Shirley Ferris | 1995-2002 | |||
| 46 | Bruce H. Gresczyk (Acting) | 2002-2003 | |||
| 47 | Bruce H. Gresczyk | 2003-4/15/2005 | |||
| 48 | F. Philip Prelli | 2005-2011 | |||
| 49 | Steven Reviczky | 2011-present | |||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Connecticut Commissioner Agriculture. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact info
Address:
450 Columbus Blvd, Suite 701
Hartford, CT 06103
Phone: (860) 713-2500
See also
| Connecticut | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Connecticut Department of Agriculture, "Mission," accessed January 13, 2021
- ↑ General Statutes of Connecticut, "22-422-1," accessed January 13, 2021
- ↑ General Statutes of Connecticut, "4-46-8," accessed January 13, 2021
- ↑ General Statutes of Connecticut, "4-46-6," accessed January 13, 2021
- ↑ General Statutes of Connecticut, "4-46-7," accessed January 13, 2021
- ↑ Connecticut Department of Agriculture, "Statutory responsibilities," accessed January 13, 2021
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Connecticut Department of Agriculture, "About the Department," accessed January 13, 2021
- ↑ Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, "2024-2025 Biennial Budget," accessed January 16, 2025
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 15, 2025
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2020," accessed January 13, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2019," accessed January 13, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2018," accessed January 13, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2017," accessed January 13, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed November 14, 2014
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2013, Table 4.11," accessed February 2, 2014
- ↑ Connecticut State Library, "Agriculture, Department of: Agency heads," accessed January 13, 2021
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