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Washington Director of Agriculture

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Washington Director of Agriculture

WA Agri logo.JPG

General information
Office Type:  Nonpartisan
Office website:  Official Link
Compensation:  $182,652
2024-25 FY Budget:  $220,311,000
Term limits:  None
Structure
Length of term:   Serves at the pleasure of the governor
Authority:  Washington Code - 43.23.002
Selection Method:  Appointed by the governor
Current Officeholder
Derek Sandison
Other Washington Executive Offices
GovernorLieutenant GovernorSecretary of StateAttorney GeneralTreasurerAuditorSuperintendent of Education• • Agriculture CommissionerInsurance CommissionerNatural Resources CommissionerLabor CommissionerPublic Service Commissioner

The Washington Director of Agriculture is an appointed state executive position in the Washington state government. The director of agriculture is responsible for promoting and protecting agriculture in Washington state.

Current officeholder

The current officeholder is Derek Sandison, who was appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee (D) on May 21, 2015.[1]

Authority

The office of the director of agriculture is established in the Washington Code.[2]

Washington Code - 43.23.002:

The executive and administrative head of the department of agriculture shall be the director. The director shall be appointed by the governor with the consent of the senate and shall have complete charge of and supervisory power over the department.

Qualifications

Article 3, Section 25 of the state Constitution establishes the qualifications of the office:

  • a citizen of the United States
  • a qualified elector in Washington
Qualifications, Compensation, Offices Which May Be Abolished. No person, except a citizen of the United States and a qualified elector of this state, shall be eligible to hold any state office...

Appointments

Washington state government organizational chart

The director of agriculture is appointed by the governor with the consent of the Washington State Senate.[2]

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 Washington Director 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

As of January 2021, the stated duties of the Department of Agriculture were:[3]

WSDA has been serving agriculture and the public for more than 100 years. Through service, regulation, and advocacy, we support keeping agriculture viable and vital in Washington State, while protecting consumers, public health, and the environment.

The nature of our work falls into three primary roles:

Service
Our expertise is widely recognized as a valuable resource. Services asked for and paid for by industry include but are not limited to quality inspections, certification, laboratory testing, and produce grading.

Regulation
We offer guidance, workshops, and technical assistance to support education for better compliance. Regulatory work includes registration, licensing, permits, inspection, investigation, and compliance support.

Advocacy
We work to raise the profile of Washington's agricultural products and industry. Through policy, planning, partnerships, outreach, and promotion, we can be a voice, catalyst, and facilitator for a viable industry.[4]

Divisions

As of January 28, 2021, divisions within the Department of Agriculture included:[5]

  • Agricultural Products
  • Animals, Livestock, and Pets
  • Director's Office
  • Food Safety
  • Insects, Pests, and Weeds
  • Laboratories
  • Land and Water
  • Marijuana
  • Business and Marketing Support
  • Pesticides and Fertilizers
  • Plant Health
  • Scales, Meters, and Fuel

State budget

See also: Washington state budget and finances

The budget for the Department of Agriculture in Fiscal Year 2024-2025 was $220,311,000.[6]

Compensation

See also: Compensation of state executive officers

2022

In 2022, the officer's salary was $182,652, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]

2021

In 2021, the director received a salary of $173,856, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]

2020

In 2020, the director received a salary of $173,856 according to the Council of State Governments.[9]

2019

In 2019, the director received a salary of $161,268 according to the Council of State Governments.[10]

2018

In 2018, the director received a salary of $144,192 according to the Council of State Governments.[11]

2017

In 2017, the director received a salary of $141,369 according to the Council of State Governments.[12]

2016

In 2016, the director received a salary of $125,400 according to the Council of State Governments.[13]

2015

In 2015, the director received a salary $125,400 according to the Council of State Governments.[14]

2014

In 2014, the director was paid an estimated $125,400 according to the Council of State Governments.[15]

2013

In 2013, the director was paid an estimated $118,800 according to the Council of State Governments.[16]

2012

In 2012, the director was paid an estimated $118,800 according to the Council of State Governments.

2010

In 2010, the director was paid an estimated $122,478 according to the Council of State Governments.[17]

Historical officeholders

Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Washington 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 Washington State Agriculture Director. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Contact information

Washington State Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Building
P.O. Box 42560
1111 Washington ST SE
Olympia, WA 98504-2560
Phone: (360) 902-1800

See also

Washington State Executive Elections News and Analysis
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Washington State Executive Offices
Washington State Legislature
Washington Courts
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Washington elections: 202420232022202120202019201820172016
Party control of state government
State government trifectas
State of the state addresses
Partisan composition of governors

External links

Footnotes

  1. Governor of Washington, "Inslee announces appointment of Derek Sandison as director of state Department of Agriculture," May 21, 2015
  2. 2.0 2.1 Washington State Code, "RCW 43.23.002," accessed December 28, 2012
  3. Washington State Department of Agriculture, "About WSDA," accessed January 28, 2021
  4. Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  5. Washington State Department of Agriculture, "Departments," accessed January 28, 2021
  6. Washington State Legislature, "Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5187," December 6, 2023
  7. Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
  8. Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 28, 2022
  9. Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2020," accessed January 28, 2021
  10. Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2019," accessed January 28, 2021
  11. Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2018," accessed January 28, 2021
  12. Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2017," accessed January 28, 2021
  13. Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
  14. Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
  15. Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed December 8, 2014
  16. Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," January 31, 2014
  17. The Council of State Governments, "The Book of States 2010 Table 4.11," accessed June 7, 2011