Help us improve in just 2 minutes—share your thoughts in our reader survey.
Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry
| Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $115,000 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $91,408,545 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Louisiana Constitution, Article IV, Section 10 |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry
Michael Strain | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 20, 2027 |
| Last election: | November 18, 2023 |
| Other Louisiana Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission | |
The Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry is an elected state executive position in the Louisiana state government. Commissioners are elected to a four-year term and are not subject to term limits.
The department's stated mission is "to promote, protect and advance agriculture and forestry, and soil and water resources."[1]
Current officeholder
The current Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry is Michael Strain (R). Strain assumed office in 2008.
Authority
The agriculture commissioner's powers and duties are established by Article IV, Section 10 of the Louisiana Constitution.
Article IV, Section 10:
| There shall be a Department of Agriculture. The commissioner of agriculture shall head the department and shall exercise all functions of the state relating to the promotion, protection, and advancement of agriculture, except research and educational functions expressly allocated by this constitution or by law to other state agencies. The department shall exercise such functions and the commissioner shall have other powers and perform other duties authorized by this constitution or provided by law.[2] |
Qualifications
Article IV, Section 2 of the Louisiana Constitution establishes the qualifications for statewide elective office:
- at least 25 years of age
- be an elector
- citizen of the United States and Louisiana for five years
- hold no other public office
|
To be eligible for any statewide elective office, a person, by the date of his qualification as a candidate, shall have attained the age of twenty-five years, be an elector, and have been a citizen of the United States and of this state for at least the preceding five years...During his tenure in office, a statewide elected official shall hold no other public office except by virtue of his elected office. [2] |
Elections
Louisiana elects agriculture commissioners to four-year terms during gubernatorial election years (e.g. 2023, 2027, 2031, 2035). Terms begin at noon on the second Monday in January following the election.[2]
2027
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
Past elections
Vacancies
If a vacancy of less than one year occurs in the office, the position is filled by the first assistant. If a vacancy of greater than one year occurs an election takes place at the next regularly scheduled election, or, if none are scheduled within a year of the vacancy, a special election is called by the governor.[2]
Duties
As of January 2021, the stated goal of the commissioner was "to working with the farmer and forester, producer and processor and all others to ensure our food is safe, our fiber production among the best and our animals strong and healthy."[4]
Divisions
As of January 21, 2021, divisions within the Department of Agriculture and Forestry included:[5]
- Animal Health and Food Safety
- Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
- Agro-Consumer Services
- Forestry
- Management & Finance
- Marketing & Agricultural Economic Development
- Soil & Water Conservation
State budget
- See also: Louisiana state budget and finances
The Department of Agriculture and Forestry's budget for Fiscal Year 2025 was $91,408,545.[6]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
Article IV, Section 4 of the Louisiana Constitution defines the method by which the agriculture commissioner's compensation is set:
|
Except as otherwise provided by this constitution, the compensation of each statewide elected official shall be provided by law. An increase in the salary of a statewide elected official shall not become effective until the commencement of the subsequent term for that office following the adoption or enactment of the increase.[2] |
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $115,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $115,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
2021
In 2021, the commissioner received a salary of $115,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2020
In 2020, the commissioner received a salary of $110,740 according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2019
In 2019, the commissioner received a salary of $115,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2018
In 2018, the commissioner received a salary of $115,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2017
In 2017, the commissioner received a salary of $115,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2016
In 2016, the commissioner received a salary of $115,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2015
In 2015, the commissioner received a salary $115,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2014
In 2014, the commissioner was paid an estimated $115,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
2013
In 2013, the commissioner was paid an estimated $115,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[17]
2010
In 2010, the commissioner was paid an estimated $115,000 according to LaTrac.[18]
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
Physical address:
5825 Florida Blvd
Baton Rouge, LA 70806
Phone: (225) 922-1234
See also
| Louisiana | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, "Mission Statement," accessed January 21, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Louisiana State Legislature, "Louisiana Constitution of 1974," accessed January 21, 2021
- ↑ The Lens, "Election 2015," accessed October 25, 2015
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedabout - ↑ Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, "Directory," accessed January 21, 2021
- ↑ Louisiana House of Representatives, "FY 2025 State Budget Tracker," accessed January 17, 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 21, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2019," accessed January 21, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2018," accessed January 21, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2017," accessed January 21, 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 24, 2014
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Table 4.11 Selected State Administrative Officials:Annual Salaries," accessed January 23, 2014
- ↑ LaTrac, "Department of Agriculture and Forestry Salaries," accessed April 16, 2011
| ||||||||||||||
