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South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture
| South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $162,000 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $50,936,385 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | South Carolina Constitution, Article VI, Section 7 |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture
Hugh Weathers | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 3, 2026 |
| Last election: | November 8, 2022 |
| Other South Carolina Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Comptroller • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission | |
The South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture is an appointed executive position in the South Carolina state government. The commissioner heads the state Department of Agriculture.[1]
Current officeholder
The current South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture is Hugh Weathers (R). Weathers assumed office in 2005.
Authority
The South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture's authority is established in Article VI, Section 7 of the state constitution.
Article VI, Section 7:
| There shall be elected by the qualified voters of the State a Secretary of State, an Attorney General, a Treasurer, a Superintendent of Education, Comptroller General, Commissioner of Agriculture, and an Adjutant General who shall hold their respective offices for a term of four years, coterminous with that of the Governor. The duties and compensation of such offices shall be prescribed by law and their compensation shall be neither increased nor diminished during the period for which they shall have been elected.[2] |
Qualifications
The qualifications of office were established by the state legislature in 1904:
| "The qualifications of a good moral character and a competent knowledge of matters of immigration, manufacturing, publicity and general industries."[2] |
- good moral character
- competent knowledge of matters of immigration, manufacturing, publicity and general industries
Vacancies
In the event of a vacancy, the governor appoints a successor for the remainder of the unexpired term.[3]
Duties
State law sets out three main duties of the commissioner:[3]
| (1) Be charged with all work looking to the promotion of agriculture and cattle raising, including the collection and publication of information in regard to localities, character, accessibility, cost and modes of utilization of soils and, more specifically, the inducement of capital to invest in agriculture and cattle raising by the dissemination of information relative to the advantages of soil and climate and other natural resources of the State; |
| (2) Collect from the farmers and landowners of the State and list information as to lands, stating the number of acres, the location and the terms upon which they may be bought; and |
| (3) Keep a land registry and in connection therewith from time to time issue a publication descriptive of such listed agricultural, forest and trucking lands as may be offered to the Department for sale or share, such publication to be in an attractive form, setting forth the county, township, number of acres, names and addresses of owners and such other information as may be helpful in placing inquiring homeseekers in communication with the landowners. |
Elections
Article VI, Section 7 of the state Constitution stipulates the agriculture commissioner will be elected every four years, to a term of four years. The commissioner, like South Carolina's other executive officials, is elected in mid-term elections: 2018, 2022 and 2026.[2]
2022
General election
General election for South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture
Incumbent Hugh Weathers defeated David Edmond and Chris Nelums in the general election for South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Hugh Weathers (R) | 77.6 | 1,085,139 | |
| David Edmond (G) | 15.2 | 213,219 | ||
| Chris Nelums (United Citizens Party) | 6.8 | 95,625 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.3 | 4,409 | ||
| Total votes: 1,398,392 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Bill Bledsoe (Constitution Party)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture
Incumbent Hugh Weathers defeated Bill Bledsoe and Bob Rozier Jr. in the Republican primary for South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture on June 14, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Hugh Weathers | 59.3 | 199,424 | |
| Bill Bledsoe | 29.0 | 97,711 | ||
| Bob Rozier Jr. | 11.7 | 39,391 | ||
| Total votes: 336,526 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Constitution convention
Constitution convention for South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture
Bill Bledsoe advanced from the Constitution convention for South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture on March 26, 2022.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | Bill Bledsoe (Constitution Party) | |
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Green convention
Green convention for South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture
David Edmond advanced from the Green convention for South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture on May 7, 2022.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | David Edmond (G) | |
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United Citizens Party convention
United Citizens Party convention for South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture
Chris Nelums advanced from the United Citizens Party convention for South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture on March 26, 2022.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | Chris Nelums (United Citizens Party) | |
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Past elections
Divisions
- Office of the Commissioner
- Administrative Services
- Agricultural Services
- Laboratory and Consumer Services[4]
State budget
- See also: South Carolina state budget and finances
The budget for the Department of Agriculture in Fiscal Year 2025 was $50,936,385.[5]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
2024
In 2024, the officer's salary was $162,000, according to the South Carolina Department of Administration.[6]
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $162,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]
2021
In 2021, the commissioner received a salary of $92,007, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
2019
In 2019, the commissioner received a salary of $92,007, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2018
In 2018, the commissioner received a salary of $92,007, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2017
In 2017, the commissioner received a salary of $92,007, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2016
In 2016, the commissioner received a salary of $92,007, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2015
In 2015, the commissioner received a salary $92,007, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2014
In 2014, the commissioner received a salary of $92,007, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2013
In 2013, the commissioner received a salary of $92,007, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2010
In 2010, the commissioner received a salary of $92,007, 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 South Carolina 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.
Noteworthy events
Charles Sharpe (R), elected in 2002, was forced out of office early following his conviction for extortion and lying to a federal officer in connection with a cockfighting ring. Pleading guilty to taking $10,000 in bribes, he reported to prison in June 2005.[17]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
South Carolina Department of Agriculture
P.O. Box 11280
Columbia, SC 29211
Phone: (803) 734-2210
Fax: (803) 734-2192
See also
| South Carolina | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ South Carolina Agriculture Commission, "About," accessed January 29, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 South Carolina Legislature, "South Carolina Constitution," accessed January 29, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 South Carolina Code of Laws, " Title 46, Chapter 3," accessed January 29, 202
- ↑ South Carolina Agriculture Commission, "Divisions," accessed January 29, 202
- ↑ South Carolina Legislature, "Appropriations Bill H. 5100," accessed January 22, 2025
- ↑ South Carolina Department of Administration, "State Salaries Query," accessed July 15, 2024
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 21, 2025
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 28, 2022
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 29, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed January 29, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed January 29, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed January 29, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed January 29, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 29, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," January 29, 2014
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "The Book of States 2010 Table 4.11," accessed January 29, 2021
- ↑ WISTV, "Charles Sharpe, former Agriculture Commissioner, reports to prison," June 23, 2005
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