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United States Secretary of Agriculture

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Secretary of Agriculture of the United States of America
Seal of the Department of Agriculture
Flag of the Secretary of Agriculture
Incumbent
Tom Vilsack
since January 20, 2009
United States Department of Agriculture
StyleMr. Secretary
Member ofCabinet
Reports toThe President
SeatWashington, D.C., U.S.
AppointerThe President
with Senate advice and consent
Term lengthNo fixed term
Constituting instrument7 U.S.C. § 2202
FormationFebruary 15, 1889
First holderNorman Jay Coleman
SuccessionEighth in the United States Presidential Line of Succession
DeputyDeputy Secretary of Agriculture
SalaryExecutive Schedule, level 1
Websitewww.usda.gov

The United States Secretary of Agriculture is the head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The current secretary is Tom Vilsack, who was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on 20 January 2009. [1] The position carries similar responsibilities to those of agriculture ministers in other governments.

The department includes several organizations. The 297,000 mi2 (770,000 km²) of national forests and grasslands are managed by the United States Forest Service.[2] The safety of food produced that are produced in the United States and sold here is ensured by the United States Food Safety and Inspection Service.[3] The Food Stamp Program works with the states to provide food to low-income people.[4] Advice for farmers and gardeners is provided by the United States Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service.[5]

The line of succession for the Secretary of Agriculture is as follows:[6]

  1. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture
  2. Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm and Foreign Agriculture Services
  3. Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Administration
  4. Under Secretary of Agriculture for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services
  5. Under Secretary of Agriculture for Research, Education, and Economics
  6. Under Secretary of Agriculture for Food Safety
  7. Under Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and Environment
  8. Under Secretary of Agriculture for Rural Development
  9. Under Secretary of Agriculture for Marketing and Regulatory Programs
  10. General Counsel of the Department of Agriculture
  11. Chief of Staff, Office of the Secretary
  12. State Executive Directors of the Farm Service Agency (in order of seniority by length of unbroken tenure) for the States of:
    1. California
    2. Iowa
    3. Kansas
  13. Regional Administrators of the Food and Nutrition Service (in order of seniority by length of unbroken tenure) for the:
    1. Mountain Plains Regional Office (Denver, Colorado)
    2. Midwest Regional Office (Chicago, Illinois)
    3. Western Regional Office (San Francisco, California)
  14. Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Agriculture
  15. Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Civil Rights
  16. Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Congressional Relations

In 2015, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack expressed the desire to resign to President Obama. The Washington Post reports that he said "There are days when I have literally nothing to do," he recalled thinking as he weighed his decision to quit."[7] President Obama asked him to stay and asked him to look into the problem of opioid addiction.[8]

Secretaries of Agriculture

The following is a list of Secretaries of Agriculture, since the creation of the office in 1889.[9]

Parties

  Democratic   Republican

No. Portrait Name State of Residence Took Office Left Office President(s)
style="background: Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 1 Norman J. Coleman Missouri February 15, 1889 March 6, 1889 style="background: Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;" | Grover Cleveland
style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 2 Jeremiah M. Rusk Wisconsin March 6, 1889 March 6, 1893 style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | Benjamin Harrison
style="background: Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 3 J. Sterling Morton Nebraska March 7, 1893 March 5, 1897 style="background: Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;" | Grover Cleveland
rowspan="3" style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 4 James Wilson Iowa March 5, 1897 March 3, 1913 style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | William McKinley
style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | Theodore Roosevelt
style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | William Howard Taft
style="background: Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 5 David F. Houston Missouri March 6, 1913 February 2, 1920 rowspan="2" style="background: Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;" | Woodrow Wilson
style="background: Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 6 Edwin T. Meredith Iowa February 2, 1920 March 4, 1921
rowspan="2" style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 7 Henry C. Wallace Iowa March 5, 1921 October 25, 1924 style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | Warren G. Harding
rowspan="3" style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | Calvin Coolidge
style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 8 Howard M. Gore West Virginia November 22, 1924 March 4, 1925
style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 9 William M. Jardine Kansas March 5, 1925 March 4, 1929
style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 10 Arthur M. Hyde Missouri March 6, 1929 March 4, 1933 style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | Herbert Hoover
style="background: Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 11 Henry A. Wallace Iowa March 4, 1933 September 4, 1940 rowspan="2" style="background: Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;" | Franklin D. Roosevelt
rowspan="2" style="background: Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 12 Claude R. Wickard Indiana September 5, 1940 June 29, 1945
rowspan="3" style="background: Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;" | Harry S. Truman
style="background: Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 13 Clinton P. Anderson New Mexico June 30, 1945 May 10, 1948
style="background: Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 14 Charles F. Brannan Colorado June 2, 1948 January 20, 1953
style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 15 Ezra Taft Benson Utah January 21, 1953 January 20, 1961 style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | Dwight D. Eisenhower
rowspan="2" style="background: Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 16 Orville L. Freeman Minnesota January 21, 1961 January 20, 1969 style="background: Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;" | John F. Kennedy
style="background: Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;" | Lyndon B. Johnson
style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 17 Clifford M. Hardin Nebraska January 21, 1969 November 17, 1971 rowspan="2" style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | Richard Nixon
rowspan="2" style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 18 Earl L. Butz Indiana December 2, 1971 October 4, 1976
rowspan="2" style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | Gerald Ford
style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 19 John A. Knebel Oklahoma November 4, 1976 January 20, 1977
style="background: Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 20 Robert Bergland Minnesota January 23, 1977 January 20, 1981 style="background: Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;" | Jimmy Carter
style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 21 John R. Block Illinois January 23, 1981 February 14, 1986 rowspan="2" style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | Ronald Reagan
style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 22 Richard E. Lyng California March 7, 1986 January 21, 1989
style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 23 Clayton K. Yeutter Nebraska February 16, 1989 March 1, 1991 rowspan="2" style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | George H. W. Bush
style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 24 Edward R. Madigan Illinois March 8, 1991 January 20, 1993
style="background: Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 25 Mike Espy Mississippi January 22, 1993 December 31, 1994 rowspan="2" style="background: Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;" | Bill Clinton
style="background: Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 26 Dan Glickman Kansas March 30, 1995 January 20, 2001
style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 27 Ann M. Veneman California January 20, 2001 January 20, 2005 rowspan="3" style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | George W. Bush
style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 28 Mike Johanns Nebraska January 21, 2005 September 20, 2007
style="background: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 29 Ed Schafer North Dakota January 28, 2008 January 20, 2009
style="background: Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;" | 30 Tom Vilsack Iowa January 20, 2009 Incumbent style="background: Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;" | Barack Obama

Living former Secretaries of Agriculture

See also: List of living former members of the United States Cabinet

As of November 2024, there are nine living former Secretaries of Agriculture, the oldest being Robert Bergland (served 1977-1981, born 1928). The most recent Secretary of Agriculture to die was Clifford M. Hardin (served 1969–1971, born 1915), on April 4, 2010. The most recently serving Secretary to die was Edward Rell Madigan (1991-1993, born 1936) on December 7, 1994.

Name Term of office Date of birth (and age)
John A. Knebel 1976–1977 (1936-10-04) October 4, 1936 (age 88)
Robert Bergland 1977–1981 (1928-07-22) July 22, 1928 (age 96)
John R. Block 1981–1986 (1935-02-15) February 15, 1935 (age 89)
Clayton K. Yeutter 1989–1991 (1930-12-10) December 10, 1930 (age 93)
Mike Espy 1993–1994 (1953-11-30) November 30, 1953 (age 70)
Dan Glickman 1995–2001 (1944-11-24) November 24, 1944 (age 80)
Ann Veneman 2001–2005 (1949-06-29) June 29, 1949 (age 75)
Mike Johanns 2005–2007 (1950-06-18) June 18, 1950 (age 74)
Ed Schafer 2008–2009 (1946-08-08) August 8, 1946 (age 78)

References

  1. ^ Jalonick, Mary Clare (2009-01-20). "Senate Confirms Secretary of Agriculture". AP. Retrieved 2009-01-20.[dead link‍]
  2. ^ "USDA Forest Service - Caring for the land and serving people". Retrieved 2005-09-24.
  3. ^ "Home". Retrieved 2005-09-24.
  4. ^ "FNS Food Stamp Program Home Page". Retrieved 2005-09-24.
  5. ^ "Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES)". Retrieved 2005-09-24.
  6. ^ "Amendments to Delegations of Authority, United States Department of Agriculture". federalregister.gov. Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved 2016-10-29.
  7. ^ https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/tom-vilsacks-lonely-fight-for-a-forgotten-rural-america/2016/09/26/62d7ee64-7830-11e6-ac8e-cf8e0dd91dc7_story.html
  8. ^ https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/tom-vilsacks-lonely-fight-for-a-forgotten-rural-america/2016/09/26/62d7ee64-7830-11e6-ac8e-cf8e0dd91dc7_story.html
  9. ^ "Former Secretaries". United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2007-09-24.
U.S. presidential line of succession
Preceded by 8th in line Succeeded by
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