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Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture
| Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Nonpartisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $171,744 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $128,042,800 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | Expires with the beginning of the term of the governor next elected or whenever a successor is appointed |
| Authority: | Tennessee Code - Section 4-3-202 |
| Selection Method: | Appointed by the governor |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture
Charlie Hatcher | |
| Other Tennessee Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Comptroller • Treasurer • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission | |
The Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture is an appointed executive position in the Tennessee state government. The commissioner leads the Department of Agriculture. As of February 2021, the department was tasked with "[serving] all the citizens of Tennessee by providing options for responsible use of our agricultural and forest resources, developing economic opportunities, safeguarding food and fiber, and ensuring equity in the marketplace.[1]
Current officeholder
The current Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture is Charlie Hatcher (nonpartisan). Hatcher assumed office in 2019.
Authority
The office of the commissioner of agriculture is established in the Tennessee Code.
Tennessee Code - Section 4-3-202:
| The department of agriculture shall be under the charge and general supervision of the commissioner of agriculture.[2] |
Qualifications
Title 43, Chapter 1, Part 101 of the Tennessee code establishes the qualifications of the office:
| The commissioner of agriculture, who is in control of the department of agriculture, shall be a practical farmer, actively identified with the agricultural interests of the state.[3] |
Appointments
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches the constitutional or statutory text that establishes the method of selection and term limits (if any exist) for a state executive office. That information for the Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture has not yet been added. After extensive research we were unable to identify satisfactory information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Vacancies
Title 4, Chapter 3, Part 102 of the Tennessee code specifies that the agriculture commissioner serves at the pleasure of the governor:
| (a) The commissioners shall be appointed by the governor for terms to expire with the beginning of the term of the governor next elected, or whenever their successors shall be appointed and qualified. (b) Each commissioner shall hold office at the pleasure of the governor.[4] |
Duties
Title 4, Chapter 3, Part 111 of the Tennessee code specifies that the agriculture commissioner serves as chief executive officer of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture:
| There shall be a chief executive officer of each of the administrative departments of state government created by § 4-3-101, which shall be as follows: ... |
Title 43, Chapter 1, Part 106 specifies additional duties for the agriculture commissioner:
| It is the duty of the commissioner of agriculture to determine, on the commissioner's own initiative, or upon request by the county legislative body of any county in this state, agricultural areas adjacent to state highways that are:
(1) Row crop areas devoted primarily for the growth of corn, cotton, soy beans, vegetables, and other similar seasonal agricultural commodities; and (2) Grassland areas maintained and used primarily for grazing of livestock.[6] |
Divisions
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture has the following divisions:[7]
- Administration & Grants
- Forestry
- Consumer & Industry Services
- Business Development
State budget
- See also: Tennessee state budget and finances
The budget for the Department of Agriculture in Fiscal Year 2024-2025 was $128,042,800.[8]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $171,744, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $171,744, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2021
In 2021, the commissioner received a salary of $161,904, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2020
In 2020, the commissioner received a salary of $161,904, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2019
In 2019, the commissioner received a salary of $161,904, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2018
In 2018, the commissioner received a salary of $158,556, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2017
In 2017, the commissioner received a salary of $158,556, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2016
In 2016, the commissioner received a salary of $158,556, according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
2015
In 2015, the commissioner received a salary $158,556, according to the Council of State Governments.[17]
2014
In 2014, the commissioner received a salary of $158,556, according to the Council of State Governments.[18]
2013
In 2013, the commissioner received a salary of $156,216, according to the Council of State Governments.[19]
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture 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 Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
Tennessee Department of Agriculture
Ellington Agricultural Center
P.O. Box 40627
Nashville, TN 37204
Phone: (615) 837-5103
E-mail: TN.Agriculture@tn.gov
See also
| Tennessee | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ State of Tennessee, "Department of Agriculture," accessed February 2, 2021
- ↑ Lexis-Nexis, " Tenn. Code Ann. § 4-3-202," accessed February 2, 2021
- ↑ Lexis-Nexis, " Tenn. Code Ann. § 43-1-101," accessed February 2, 2021
- ↑ Lexis-Nexis, " Tenn. Code Ann. § 4-3-102," accessed February 2, 2021
- ↑ Lexis-Nexis, " Tenn. Code Ann. § 4-3-111," accessed February 2, 2021
- ↑ Lexis-Nexis, " Tenn. Code Ann. § 43-1-106," accessed February 2, 2021
- ↑ State of Tennessee, "About the Department," accessed February 2, 2021
- ↑ Tennessee.gov, "Tennessee House Bill 2973," accessed January 23, 2025
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 21, 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 28, 2022
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States, 2020," accessed February 2, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed February 2, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed February 2, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed February 2, 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 December 8, 2014
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," January 28, 2014
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