Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture

Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture
Great Seal of Oklahoma
Agency overview
Formed	June 6, 1986
Headquarters	2800 N. Lincoln Blvd Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Employees	577 (FY2011)
Annual budget	$156 million (FY2011)
Minister responsible	Jim Reese, Secretary of Agriculture
Child agencies	Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Oklahoma Conservation Commission
Website
Office of the Secretary of Agriculture

The Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture is a member of the Oklahoma Governor's Cabinet. The Secretary is appointed by the Governor, with the consent of the Oklahoma Senate, to serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The Secretary serves as the chief advisor to the Governor on agricultural, forestry and food issues.

The 4th and current Secretary of Agriculture is Jim Reese, who was appointed by Governor Mary Fallin in 2011.

History

The position of Secretary of Agriculture was established in 1986 to provide greater oversight and coordination to the agricultural activities of the State government. The position was established, along with the Oklahoma State Cabinet, by the Executive Branch Reform Act of 1986. The Act directed the Secretary of Agriculture to advise the Governor on agriculture policy and advise the state agricultural agencies on new policy as directed by the Governor.

Dual Position

Oklahoma state law always for Cabinet Secretaries to serve concurrently as the head of a State agency in addition to their duties as a Cabinet Secretary. Historically, the Secretary of Agriculture has also served as the Commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. As of 2011, all Agriculture Secretaries have served in that dual position.

Responsibilities

The Secretary of Agriculture is responsible for the regulation and promotion the agricultural industry in Oklahoma. The Secretary oversees agricultural research, agricultural subsidies, prevention of plant diseases and invasive species prevention programs. The Secretary oversees the management of the forests of the State, including wildfire prevention and susppression. The office has oversight of food safety programs, consumer protection programs and rural development efforts. The Secretary also bas responsibility for ensuring the conservartion of the State's land and water for agricultural purposes.

As of fiscal year 2011, the Secretary of Agriculture oversees 577 full time employees and is responsible for an annual budget of over $156 million.

Agencies overseen

The Secretary of Agriculture oversees the following State agencies:

Seal	Agency	Employees	Budget (in millions)	Function
	Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry	515	$87.8	Promotes agriculture, provides aid to farmers and ranchers, inspects food products and protects State forests
	Conservation Commission	62	$68.2	Protects and conserves the State's soil and water agricultural resources

• All numbers represented Fiscal Year 2011 levels

Salary

The annual salary of the Secretary of Agriculture is set by law at $70,000.^[1] Despite this law, if the Secretary serves as the head of State agency, the Secretary receives the higher of the two salaries. Since incumber Secretary Jim Reese also serves as the Department of Agriculture Commissioner, he received the salary allowed for that position. As of 2011, the annual salary of that position is set at $87,000.

List of Secretaries

#	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Governor served under
1	Gary Sherrer	1991	1995	David Walters
2	Dennis Howard	1995	2003	Frank Keating
3	Terry Peach	2003	2011	Brad Henry
4	Jim Reese	January 10, 2011	Present	Mary Fallin

References

1. ^ Paragraph 2, Section 10.5, Title 74, Oklahoma Statutes

External links

• Members of the Governor's Cabinet
• State biography of Cabinet Secretary Terry Peach