Arizona Director of Agriculture
| Arizona Director of Agriculture | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Nonpartisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $185,000 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $16,564,100 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | Serves at the pleasure of the governor |
| Authority: | Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 3, Chapter 1, Article 1, Section 103 |
| Selection Method: | Appointed by governor |
| Current Officeholder | |
| Paul Brierley | |
| Other Arizona Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Superintendent of Public Instruction• Auditor• Agriculture Director • Insurance and Financial Institutions Director• Lands Commissioner• Labor Director• Corporation Commission• State Mine Inspector | |
The Arizona Director of Agriculture is a state executive position in the Arizona state government. The director heads the Arizona Department of Agriculture, which regulates the state's agriculture industry, including the inspection of meat, dairy and plants for diseases, pests and other factors. The department also regulates industry business practices, registers and licenses fertilizer, seed and pesticide producers, and performs laboratory analysis of potential problem areas.
Current officeholder
The current Arizona Director of Agriculture is Paul Brierley (nonpartisan). Brierley assumed office in 2023.
Authority
The office of agriculture director is established by state law.[1]
Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 3, Chapter 1, Article 1, Section 103
| A. The governor shall appoint a director of the department pursuant to section 38-211 to serve at the pleasure of the governor. |
Qualifications
The director must have at least a bachelor's degree and five years of experience in agriculture business or production. State law also provides that the candidate's qualifications "shall be reviewed by a committee of five persons selected by the governor."[1]
Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 3, Chapter 1, Article 1, Section 103
| B. The qualifications of candidates for appointment as director shall be reviewed by a committee of five persons selected by the governor. |
Appointments
A five person committee appointed by the governor screens initial candidates. Two members of the committee must be actively engaged in animal production, two in plant production, and one in agribusiness. No two members of the committee may be residents of the same county. After deliberating, the committee forwards the names of qualified candidates to the governor, who then appoints the officeholder.[1]
Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 3, Chapter 1, Article 1, Section 103
| B. The qualifications of candidates for appointment as director shall be reviewed by a committee of five persons selected by the governor. Two of the members of the committee must be actively engaged in animal production, two members must be actively engaged in plant production and one member must be actively engaged in agribusiness, as their major sources of income. No two members may be residents of the same county. The committee shall submit the names of the most qualified candidates to the governor for his selection. The governor may request additional names from the committee if he deems it necessary. A new committee shall be appointed for each vacancy in the position of director. |
Term limits
There are no term limits associated with the office of agriculture director.
Vacancies
If a vacancy occurs, the governor appoints a new committee to nominate a replacement.[1]
Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 3, Chapter 1, Article 1, Section 103
| A new committee shall be appointed for each vacancy in the position of director. |
Duties
The director heads the Arizona Department of Agriculture, which regulates the state's agriculture industry. Department workers inspect meat, dairy and plants for diseases, pests and other factors, regulates industry business practices, registers and licenses fertilizer, seed and pesticide producers, and performs laboratory analysis of potential problem areas.[2]
Divisions
As of January 7, 2021, divisions within the Department of Agriculture included:[3]
- Animal Services
- Environmental Services
- Plant Services
- Agricultural Consultation & Training
- Citrus, Fruit & Vegetable Standardization & Fresh Produce Grade Inspection
- Pest Management
- State Agricultural Laboratory
- Weights & Measures Division
State budget
- See also: Arizona state budget and finances
The budget for the Department of Agriculture in Fiscal Year 2025 was $16,564,100.[4]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
The director's salary is determined by law.
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $185,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[5]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $132,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[6]
2021
In 2021, the director received a salary of $132,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]
2020
In 2020, the director received a salary of $132,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
2019
In 2019, the director received a salary of $132,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2018
In 2018, the director received a salary of $132,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2017
In 2017, the director received a salary of $132,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2016
In 2016, the director’s salary was increased to $132,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2015
In 2015, the director’s salary was increased to $105,040 according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2014
In 2014, the director's salary remained at $102,260 according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2013
In 2013, the director was paid an estimated $102,260 according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2012
In 2012, the director was paid an estimated $102,260 according to the Council of State Governments.
2010
In 2010, the director was paid an estimated $102,260 according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Arizona Director 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 Arizona Director Agriculture. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact info
Address:
1688 West Adams Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone:(602) 542-4373
See also
| Arizona | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Arizoned Revised Statutes, "3-103," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Arizona Department of Agriculture, "About Us," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Arizona Department of Agriculture, "Divisions," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Arizona Joint Legislative Budget Committee, "Summary of Appropriated Funds by Agency - Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025," accessed January 15, 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 5, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2019," accessed January 5, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2018," accessed January 5, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2017," accessed January 5, 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 January 31, 2014
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "Book of the States -- Table 4.11," accessed August 8, 2011
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