New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture
| New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Nonpartisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $175,000 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $178,707,000 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | Serves at the pleasure of the New Jersey Board of Agriculture |
| Authority: | New Jersey State Statutes, Title 4, Section 1 |
| Selection Method: | Appointed by the New Jersey Board of Agriculture |
| Current Officeholder | |
New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture
Ed Wengryn | |
| Other New Jersey Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Comptroller• Commissioner of Education • Agriculture Secretary • Insurance Commissioner • Commissioner of Environmental Protection • Labor Commissioner • Public Utilities Board | |
The New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture is the executive officer of the Department of Agriculture, the secretary of the New Jersey Board of Agriculture, and a member of the Governor's Cabinet.
The secretary is responsible for administrative, executive, and management duties regarding the department. Additional duties include those related to the scope of the office such as supporting economic development programs relating to production agriculture, the distribution of food surpluses to school, soup kitchens, and food pantries, and directing analyses of agriculture policy.[1]
Current officeholder
The current New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture is Ed Wengryn (nonpartisan). Wengryn assumed office in 2024.
Authority
The Department of Agriculture and the secretary's office are established by Title 4, Section 1 of the New Jersey State Statutes:
| The Department of Agriculture, hereinafter in this chapter referred to as the "department," created and established by the act entitled "An act to establish a department of agriculture, and to prescribe its powers and duties," passed March twenty-ninth, one thousand nine hundred and sixteen (L.1916, c. 268, p. 561), together with its amendments and supplements, is continued and is hereby constituted a principal department in the executive branch of the State Government...[2] |
Qualifications
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches the constitutional or statutory text that establishes the requirements necessary to qualify for a state executive office. That information for the New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture has not yet been added. After extensive research, we were unable to identify any relevant 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
Vacancies for the office of the secretary of agriculture are filled through the appointment process outlined in Title 4, Section 1-13 of the New Jersey State Statutes:[3]
| The board, with the approval of the Governor, shall appoint the secretary of agriculture, and in conjunction with the secretary may appoint an assistant secretary of agriculture and shall appoint the directors of divisions, the chiefs of the various bureaus, the inspectors, veterinarians, experts and all other officers, agents and employees of the department, except the clerks and stenographers attached thereto. The board, upon the advice and recommendation of the secretary, shall fix the compensation of all officers and employees subject to the provisions of Title 11, Civil Service, except where otherwise provided by statute.[4] |
Duties
The secretary of agriculture is the executive officer of the New Jersey Department of Agriculture and is responsible for administrative, executive, and management duties regarding the department. Additional duties include those related to the scope of the office such as:[1]
- Overseeing the development and implementation of programs based on policy directives adopted by the New Jersey Board of Agriculture;
- Supporting economic development programs relating to production agriculture;
- Natural and renewable resource conservation;
- Distribution of food surpluses to school, soup kitchens, and food pantries;
- Maintaining the health of the state's greenhouse and livestock industries;
- Directing analysis of agriculture policy and development of the departmental budget;
- Serving as a liaison to the New Jersey State Legislature and the U.S. Congress
Divisions
The department is made up of the following five divisions:[5]
- Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources
- Division of Animal Health
- Division of Food and Nutrition
- Division of Marketing and Development
- Division of Plant Industry
State budget
- See also: New Jersey state budget and finances
The budget for the Department of Agriculture in Fiscal Year 2025 was $178,707,000.[6]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $175,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $175,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
2021
In 2021, the secretary received a salary of $175,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2020
In 2019, the secretary received a salary of $175,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2019
In 2019, the secretary received a salary of $141,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2018
In 2018, the secretary received a salary of $141,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2017
In 2017, the secretary received a salary of $141,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2016
In 2016, the secretary received a salary of $141,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2015
In 2015, the secretary received a salary $141,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2014
In 2014, the secretary received a salary of $141,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
2013
In 2013, the secretary received a salary of $141,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[17]
2010
In 2010, the secretary received a salary of $141,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[18]
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the New Jersey Secretary 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 New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
New Jersey Department of Agriculture
P.O. Box 330
Trenton, NJ 08625
Phone: 609-633-2954
Email: Click here
See also
| New Jersey | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 New Jersey Department of Agriculture, "Office of the Secretary," accessed Jan. 20, 2021
- ↑ Justia, "2019 New Jersey Revised Statutes Title 4, Section 4:1-1," accessed Jan. 20, 2020
- ↑ Ballotpedia staff, "Email communication with New Jersey Department of Agriculture staff," February 23, 2021
- ↑ Justia, "2019 New Jersey Revised Statutes Title 4, Section 4:1-13," accessed February 24, 2021
- ↑ New Jersey Department of Agriculture, "Divisions," accessed Jan. 20, 2021
- ↑ State of New Jersey, "Appropriations Handbook: Fiscal Year 2024-2025," accessed January 21, 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 22, 2022
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States," Sept. 30, 2020
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed Jan. 20, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed Jan. 20, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed Jan. 20, 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 3, 2014
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Table 4.11 Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 31, 2014
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "The Book of States 2010 Table 4.11," accessed June 22, 2011
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