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Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture
| Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $139,725 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $85,643,700 |
| Term limits: | 2 consecutive terms |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Kentucky Constitution, Executive Department Article, Section 91 |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture
Jonathan Shell | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 2, 2027 |
| Last election: | November 7, 2023 |
| Other Kentucky Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Commissioner of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Cabinet Secretary • Public Service Commission | |
The Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture is an elected state executive position in the Kentucky state government. The commissioner is responsible for expanding agricultural markets, increasing rural economic development, and promoting the Kentucky Proud program.[1]
Commissioners are elected to a four-year term and are limited to serving two terms.
Current officeholder
The current Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture is Jonathan Shell (R). Shell assumed office in 2024.
Authority
The office of agriculture commissioner is established in the Executive Department Article of the Kentucky Constitution.
Executive Department Article, Section 91:
| A Treasurer, Auditor of Public Accounts, Commissioner of Agriculture, Labor and Statistics, Secretary of State, and Attorney-General, shall be elected by the qualified voters of the State at the same time the Governor and Lieutenant Governor are elected, for the term of four years... |
Qualifications
Executive Department Article, Section 91 of the Kentucky Constitution establishes the qualifications of the office:
- at least 30 years old at time of election
- resident of Kentucky for at least two years
| ...each of whom shall be at least thirty years of age at the time of his election, and shall have been a resident citizen of the State at least two years next before his election. |
Elections
Kentucky elects agriculture commissioners during gubernatorial election years. For Kentucky, 2015, 2019, 2023 and 2027 are all agriculture commissioner election years. Terms begin the first Monday in January following the election.
Term limits
The Kentucky Constitution limits the agriculture commissioner to two four-year terms.
2027
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
General election
The general election will occur on November 2, 2027.
Past elections
Vacancies
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches the constitutional or statutory text that details the process of filling vacancies for a state executive office. That information for the Kentucky Commissioner 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.
Duties
The duties of the commissioner of agriculture are outlined in 246.070 of the Kentucky Revised Statutes:[3]
| "The Commissioner shall promote and encourage, as far as practicable, the organization of agricultural organizations and associations. He shall ascertain in detail the quality and quantity of land under cultivation; the kinds, amounts and value of the annual field crops; the annual production of orchards, gardens, and dairies; the kinds, value, and increase of livestock; the character and wages of labor employed in the cultivation of the soil; and the value of agricultural exports and imports." |
Divisions
As of January 18, 2021, divisions within the Department of Agriculture included:[4]
- Office of Commissioner
- Office of Administrative Services
- Office of Agricultural Marketing
- Office of Consumer & Environmental Protection
- Office of State Veterinarian
State budget
- See also: Kentucky state budget and finances
The Department of Agriculture's budget for Fiscal Year 2025 was $85,643,700.[5]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $139,725, according to the Council of State Governments.[6]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $129,375, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]
2021
In 2021, the commissioner received a salary of $129,375, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
2020
In 2020, the commissioner received a salary of $129,375 according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2019
In 2019, the commissioner received a salary of $126,485 according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2018
In 2018, the commissioner received a salary of $124,113 according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2017
In 2017, the commissioner received a salary of $121,550 according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2016
In 2016, the commissioner’s salary was increased to $119,080 according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2015
In 2015, the commissioner’s salary was increased to $118,217 according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2014
In 2014, the commissioner received a salary of $117,329 according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2013
In 2013, the commissioner received a salary of $115,593 according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
2012
In 2012, the commissioner received a salary of $113,615 according to the Council of State Governments.
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Kentucky 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 Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
Commissioner of Agriculture
105 Corporate Drive
Frankfort, KY 40601
Phone: (502) 573-0282
Fax: (502) 564-2133
See also
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Kentucky Department of Agriculture, "Office of the Commissioner," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "Agriculture Commissioner," accessed November 4, 2015
- ↑ Kentucky Revised Statutes, "246.070 Functions of Commissioner, accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑ Kentucky Department of Agriculture, "About KDA," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑ Kentucky Office of State Budget Director, "2024-2026 Budget of the Commonwealth," accessed January 17, 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 18, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2019," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2018," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2017," accessed January 18, 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 24, 2014
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2013, Table 4.11," accessed February 2, 2014
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