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Michael Strain
2008 - Present
2028
17
Michael Strain (Republican Party) is the Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry. He assumed office on January 14, 2008. His current term ends on January 10, 2028.
Strain (Republican Party) won re-election for Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry outright in the primary on October 14, 2023, after the primary and general election were canceled.
In his current position as agriculture commissioner, Strain is responsible for promoting, protecting and advancing agriculture and forestry, as well as soil and water resources, in the state of Louisiana.[1]
Biography
Strain was born in Covington, La. He is married, has two children and works as a veterinarian at Claiborne Hill veterinary hospital.
Prior to being elected commissioner of agriculture and forestry, Strain represented district 74 in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 2000 to 2008. He is a member of the Louisiana Rural Caucus.[2][3]
Education
- DVM, Louisiana State University, School of Veterinary Medicine
- B.S., Pre-Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University[2]
Political career
Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture (2008-present)
Strain has served as Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture since January 2008. He was first elected in 2007, and re-elected in 2011 and 2015.[2]
Notable endorsements
This section displays endorsements this individual made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope. Know of one we missed? Click here to let us know.
Louisiana House of Representatives (2000-2008)
Strain represented District 74 in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 2000 to 2008.[2]
Elections
2023
See also: Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner election, 2023
Louisiana elections use the majority-vote system. All candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50 percent of the vote. If no candidate does, the top two vote recipients from the primary advance to the general election, regardless of their partisan affiliation.
Nonpartisan primary election
The primary election was canceled. Michael Strain (R) won the election without appearing on the ballot.
Endorsements
Strain received the following endorsements.
2019
See also: Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner election, 2019
Louisiana elections use the majority-vote system. All candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50 percent of the vote. If no candidate does, the top two vote recipients from the primary advance to the general election, regardless of their partisan affiliation.
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry
Incumbent Michael Strain won election outright against Marguerite Green, Charlie Greer, Bradley Zaunbrecher, and Peter Williams in the primary for Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry on October 12, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Michael Strain (R) | 56.8 | 724,706 |
 | Marguerite Green (D)  | 20.3 | 259,718 | |
| Charlie Greer (D) | 8.4 | 106,891 | ||
| Bradley Zaunbrecher (R) | 8.3 | 105,721 | ||
 | Peter Williams (D) | 6.2 | 79,632 | |
| Total votes: 1,276,668 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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2015
Early in 2013, Strain was considering a bid for governor of Louisiana in 2015. In July 2013, he announced he would seek re-election as agriculture commissioner instead.[4]
Strain won a majority of votes in the primary election, eliminating the need for a general election contest in November.[5]
| Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture, Blanket Primary, 2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Mike Strain |
58.2% | 603,557 | |
| Democratic | Charles Greer | 30.1% | 312,335 | |
| Republican | Jamie LaBranche | 8.2% | 85,363 | |
| Green | Adrian Juttner | 3.5% | 36,180 | |
| Total Votes | 1,037,435 | |||
| Election Results Louisiana Secretary of State. | ||||
Campaign finance
Third quarter report (2015)
Comprehensive donor information for this election was collected from the state's campaign finance authority. Based on available campaign finance records, the candidates raised a total of $534,750 and spent a total of $20,861.83 during this reporting period. This information was last updated on September 25, 2015.[6]
| Campaign Contributions and Expenditures | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Office | Beginning balance | Contributions | Expenditures | Ending balance |
Michael Strain  |
Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture | $502,250.46 | $534,750.00 | $20,861.83 | $1,016,138.63 |
| Jamie LaBranche |
Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Grand Total Raised | $534,750 | ||||
| Grand Total Spent | $20,861.83 | ||||
Second quarter report (2015)
Comprehensive donor information for this election was collected from the state's campaign finance authority. Based on available campaign finance records, the candidates raised a total of $39,875 and spent a total of $6,607.88 during this reporting period. This information was last updated on September 25, 2015.[7]
| Campaign Contributions and Expenditures | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Office | Beginning balance | Contributions | Expenditures | Ending balance |
| Michael Strain |
Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture | $468,983.34 | $39,875.00 | $6,607.88 | $502,250.46 |
| Jamie LaBranche |
Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Grand Total Raised | $39,875 | ||||
| Grand Total Spent | $6,607.88 | ||||
First quarter report (2015)
Comprehensive donor information for this election was collected from the state's campaign finance authority. Based on available campaign finance records, the candidates raised a total of $38,110 and spent a total of $26,530.81 during this reporting period. This information was last updated on September 25, 2015.[8]
| Campaign Contributions and Expenditures | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Office | Beginning balance | Contributions | Expenditures | Ending balance |
| Michael Strain |
Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture | $457,404.15 | $38,100.00 | $26,520.81 | $468,983.34 |
| Jamie LaBranche |
Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture | $0.00 | $10.00 | $10.00 | $10.00 |
| Grand Total Raised | $38,110 | ||||
| Grand Total Spent | $26,530.81 | ||||
Annual report (2014)
Comprehensive donor information for this election was collected from the state's campaign finance authority. Based on available campaign finance records, the candidates raised a total of $1,200 and spent a total of $2,500 during this reporting period. This information was last updated on February 19, 2015.[9]
| Campaign Contributions and Expenditures | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Office | Beginning balance | Contributions | Expenditures | Ending balance |
| Michael Strain |
Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture | $3,654.49 | $1,200 | $2,500 | $2,354.49 |
| Jamie LaBranche |
Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Grand Total Raised | $1,200 | ||||
| Grand Total Spent | $2,500 | ||||
2011
Strain defeated Jamie LaBranche (D) and Belinda Alexandrenko (Reform) in the primary on October 22, 2011. Because Strain captured more than 50 percent of the primary vote, he won the election outright. Thus, while the Louisiana general election took place November 19, 2011, the office of agriculture and forestry commissioner did not appear on the ballot.
| Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture, 2011 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Mike Strain Incumbent |
66.5% | 640,886 | |
| Democratic | Jamie LaBranche | 27.8% | 267,942 | |
| Reform | Belinda Alexandrenko | 5.7% | 54,888 | |
| Total Votes | 963,716 | |||
| Election results via Louisiana Secretary of State | ||||
Endorsements
Strain was endorsed by the Alliance for Good Government on September 20, 2011.[10]
2007
Strain won election as Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry in 2007. In the October 20 primary, Strain led Republicans with 40.47 percent, while Democrat Bob Odom had 41.35 percent.[11] Strain and Odom were headed to a runoff but, before it occurred, Odom withdrew, leaving Strain the winner.[12]
| Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture & Forestry, blanket primary, 2007 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Bob Odom |
41.3% | 505,504 | |
| Republican | Mike Strain | 40.5% | 494,760 | |
| Republican | Wayne Carter | 12.5% | 152,893 | |
| Republican | Don Johnson | 5.7% | 69,470 | |
| Total Votes | 1,222,627 | |||
| Election results via Louisiana Secretary of State | ||||
Campaign themes
2023
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Michael Strain did not complete Ballotpedia's 2023 Candidate Connection survey.
2019
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Michael Strain did not complete Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Stances on the issues
Agriculture commissioners are responsible for overseeing and regulating practices and policies that affect farmers, consumers of agricultural products, and the broader agricultural industry in their states. Their powers can vary, but they typically have the authority to enforce state laws and regulations pertaining to agriculture and investigate practices related to the agricultural sector that may violate state laws or regulations.[13][14]
This section outlines Strain's stances on policy issues as they relate to agriculture.
Environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG)
| Environmental, social, and corporate governance |
|---|
|
| • What is ESG? • Enacted ESG legislation • Arguments for and against ESG • Opposition to ESG • Federal ESG rules • ESG legislation tracker • Economy and Society: Ballotpedia's weekly ESG newsletter |
Strain has argued against ESG, which refers to an investment or corporate governance approach that involves considering the extent to which corporations conform to certain standards related to environmental, social, and corporate governance issues (such as net carbon emission or corporate board diversity goals) and making business and investment decisions that promote those standards. Agricultural commissioners have the authority to use their investigative and enforcement powers to scrutinize the effects of financial practices on the agricultural sector, write letters to financial institutions requesting information on their policies and practices, and issue regulations related to fertilizer usage, agricultural fuel usage, and rural electrification.[13][14]
Letter opposing ESG practices at financial institutions
Strain joined eleven agricultural commissioners from other states on January 29, 2024, in writing a public letter to the CEOs of six large banks, including J.P. Morgan and Goldman Sachs, opposing their ESG commitments.[13][14]
The letter argued that the financial institutions’ commitments to implementing Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA) policies could restrict credit access for farmers and coerce agricultural producers into changing their farming practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The officials said such changes would increase costs in the agricultural sector, reduce the availability of food, drive up consumer prices, and eliminate jobs in the industry.[13][14]
The letter requested additional information related to the banks’ ESG commitments, including details on how the banks intended to promote NZBA’s carbon emissions targets for the agricultural sector.[13][14]
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Strain and his wife Susan have been married since 1984 and have two children.[15]
See also
2023 Elections
External links
|
Officeholder Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, "Mission statement," accessed January 30, 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Project Vote Smart, "Michael G. Strain," accessed May 7, 2011
- ↑ Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, "Commissioner," accessed January 30, 2016
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedelect - ↑ The Lens, "Election 2015," accessed October 25, 2015
- ↑ Louisiana Ethics Administration Program, "View Campaign Finance Reports," accessed September 25, 2015
- ↑ Louisiana Ethics Administration Program, "View Campaign Finance Reports," accessed September 25, 2015
- ↑ Louisiana Ethics Administration Program, "View Campaign Finance Reports," accessed September 25, 2015
- ↑ Louisiana Ethics Administration Program, "View Campaign Finance Reports," accessed February 19, 2015
- ↑ St. Tammany News, "Alliance endorses in state races," September 23, 2011
- ↑ Louisiana State Board of Elections, "October 20, 2007 Election Results," accessed March 19, 2011
- ↑ Times-Picayune, "Odom quits race for re-election," October 25, 2007
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 Fox Business, “Dozen state GOP agriculture commissioners launch probe of US banks over ESG investing: 'It must be stopped,'” accessed February 13, 2024
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 Georgia Department of Agriculture, “Impact of Net-Zero Banking Alliance on Agriculture & Food Security,” January 29, 2024
- ↑ Mike Strain, "About Mike Strain," accessed October 21, 2011
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry 2008-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
Louisiana House of Representatives 2000-2008 |
Succeeded by - |
| ||||||||||||||
