Kansas Department of Agriculture
Encyclopedia
The Kansas Department of Agriculture is a department
of the government of Kansas
under the Governor of Kansas
. It is responsible for providing services and expertise that promote and protect Kansas' food supply and natural resources while stimulating economic growth. The head of the Department is the Secretary of Agriculture
, who is appointed by the Governor, with the approval of the Kansas Senate
.
The current Secretary of Agriculture is Dale Rodman, who was appointed by Governor Sam Brownback
in 2011.
was the nation’s first department of agriculture. It traces back to 1857 when a group of farmers called an open meeting in Topeka to form the Kansas Agriculture Society.
Records of the society are sparse. When a confederate named Quantrill
raided the town, he burned the Society's records along with a large part of Lawrence
. Kansas Historical Society
In 1872, the Kansas Legislature
created the State Board of Agriculture from the structure of the Agriculture Society. It became the grandfather of agricultural departments in all fifty states.
The board's early years were spent organizing a state fair and acting as an immigration agency to attract needed settlers to homestead in Kansas. Gradually, the state lost its image as a part of the "Great American Desert
". Farms and towns sprang up on the fertile plains of the future wheat state. The Board of Agriculture through an annual report and various publications about Kansas served as a source of information and new techniques in farming.
Through the grasshopper invasion, droughts, blizzards, and through the invention of barbed wire
, the development of combines and advances undreamed in 1872, the Kansas Department of Agriculture has served the producers and consumers of Kansas agricultural products.
, Dale Rodman is serving as the Secretary. Chris Wilson serves as Deputy Secretary and Jackie McClaskey and Jim Riemann are Assistants to the Secretary.
and the Secretary of Agriculture. The Board is composed of nine members, appointed by the Governor to serve four year terms. One member is appointed from each of Kansas' four congressional districts, with the remaining five being appointed at-large. No two members can reside in the same county and no more than five members may be from the same political party. The Board is responsible for electing is own Chair and Vice Chair.
The Board assists the Governor and Secretary in the development of legislative priorities and Departmental rules and regulations, except those which relate solely to personnel matters of the Department. The Board, however, has no powers, duties or functions concerning the day-to-day operations of the Department.
As of 2011, the current members of the Board are as follows:
District 1 - Tracy Brunner
District 1 - Jay R. Garetson
District 1 - Stephen J. Irsik, Jr.
District 1 - Jerry C. McReynolds
District 1 - Kenneth R. Palmgren
District 2 - Thad G. Geiger
District 2 - Ann M. Peuser
District 3 - Roland L. Rhodes
District 4 - Michael L. Springer
Government agency
A government or state agency is a permanent or semi-permanent organization in the machinery of government that is responsible for the oversight and administration of specific functions, such as an intelligence agency. There is a notable variety of agency types...
of the government of Kansas
Government of Kansas
The government of the US state of Kansas, established by the Kansas Constitution, is a republican democracy modeled after the Federal government of the United States. The state government has three branches: the executive, legislative, and judicial...
under the Governor of Kansas
Governor of Kansas
The Governor of the State of Kansas is the head of state for the State of Kansas, United States. Under the Kansas Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Kansas executive branch, of the government of Kansas. The Governor is the...
. It is responsible for providing services and expertise that promote and protect Kansas' food supply and natural resources while stimulating economic growth. The head of the Department is the Secretary of Agriculture
Kansas State Cabinet
The Kansas State Cabinet is part of the executive branch of the Government of the U.S. state of Kansas, consisting of the appointed heads of the Kansas state executive departments.-Current cabinet departments:...
, who is appointed by the Governor, with the approval of the Kansas Senate
Kansas Senate
The Kansas Senate is the upper house of the Kansas Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Kansas. It is composed of 40 Senators representing an equal amount of districts, each with a population of at least 60,000 inhabitants. Members of the Senate are elected to a four year term....
.
The current Secretary of Agriculture is Dale Rodman, who was appointed by Governor Sam Brownback
Sam Brownback
Samuel Dale "Sam" Brownback is the 46th and current Governor of Kansas. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a U.S. Senator from Kansas from 1996 to 2011, and as a U.S. Representative for Kansas's 2nd congressional district from 1995 to 1996...
in 2011.
History
The Kansas Department of AgricultureAgriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
was the nation’s first department of agriculture. It traces back to 1857 when a group of farmers called an open meeting in Topeka to form the Kansas Agriculture Society.
Records of the society are sparse. When a confederate named Quantrill
Quantrill
Quantrill is a surname of English origin and may refer to:* William Quantrill, Confederate soldier* Quantrill's Raiders, a guerrilla group commanded by William Quantrill* Paul Quantrill, baseball pitcher* The Quantrells, a Motown group-See also:...
raided the town, he burned the Society's records along with a large part of Lawrence
Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence is the sixth largest city in the U.S. State of Kansas and the county seat of Douglas County. Located in northeastern Kansas, Lawrence is the anchor city of the Lawrence, Kansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Douglas County...
. Kansas Historical Society
Kansas Historical Society
The Kansas Historical Society is the official state historical society of Kansas.Headquartered in Topeka, it operates as "the trustee of the state" for the purpose of maintaining the state's history and operates the Kansas Museum of History, Kansas State Archives and Library, Kansas State Capitol...
In 1872, the Kansas Legislature
Kansas Legislature
The Kansas Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kansas. It is a bicameral assembly, composed of the lower Kansas House of Representatives, composed of 125 Representatives, and the upper Kansas Senate, with 40 Senators...
created the State Board of Agriculture from the structure of the Agriculture Society. It became the grandfather of agricultural departments in all fifty states.
The board's early years were spent organizing a state fair and acting as an immigration agency to attract needed settlers to homestead in Kansas. Gradually, the state lost its image as a part of the "Great American Desert
Great American Desert
The term Great American Desert was used in the 19th century to describe the western part of the Great Plains east of the Rocky Mountains in North America....
". Farms and towns sprang up on the fertile plains of the future wheat state. The Board of Agriculture through an annual report and various publications about Kansas served as a source of information and new techniques in farming.
Through the grasshopper invasion, droughts, blizzards, and through the invention of barbed wire
Barbed wire
Barbed wire, also known as barb wire , is a type of fencing wire constructed with sharp edges or points arranged at intervals along the strand. It is used to construct inexpensive fences and is used atop walls surrounding secured property...
, the development of combines and advances undreamed in 1872, the Kansas Department of Agriculture has served the producers and consumers of Kansas agricultural products.
Leadership
The Department is administered by the Secretary of Agriculture. Under Governor Sam BrownbackSam Brownback
Samuel Dale "Sam" Brownback is the 46th and current Governor of Kansas. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a U.S. Senator from Kansas from 1996 to 2011, and as a U.S. Representative for Kansas's 2nd congressional district from 1995 to 1996...
, Dale Rodman is serving as the Secretary. Chris Wilson serves as Deputy Secretary and Jackie McClaskey and Jim Riemann are Assistants to the Secretary.
State Board of Agriculture
The Kansas State Board of Agriculture serves as an advisory board to the Governor of KansasGovernor of Kansas
The Governor of the State of Kansas is the head of state for the State of Kansas, United States. Under the Kansas Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Kansas executive branch, of the government of Kansas. The Governor is the...
and the Secretary of Agriculture. The Board is composed of nine members, appointed by the Governor to serve four year terms. One member is appointed from each of Kansas' four congressional districts, with the remaining five being appointed at-large. No two members can reside in the same county and no more than five members may be from the same political party. The Board is responsible for electing is own Chair and Vice Chair.
The Board assists the Governor and Secretary in the development of legislative priorities and Departmental rules and regulations, except those which relate solely to personnel matters of the Department. The Board, however, has no powers, duties or functions concerning the day-to-day operations of the Department.
As of 2011, the current members of the Board are as follows:
District 1 - Tracy Brunner
District 1 - Jay R. Garetson
District 1 - Stephen J. Irsik, Jr.
District 1 - Jerry C. McReynolds
District 1 - Kenneth R. Palmgren
District 2 - Thad G. Geiger
District 2 - Ann M. Peuser
District 3 - Roland L. Rhodes
District 4 - Michael L. Springer
Divisions
- Secretary of Agriculture
- Food Safety and Consumer Protection Division - responsible for protecting the health and well-being of all consumers of agricultural products
- Retail Food Inspection Section
- Meat and Poultry Inspection Section
- Dairy Inspection Section
- Agricultural Commodities Assurance Section
- Weights and Measures Section
- Grain Warehouse Inspection Section
- Environmental Protection Division - responsible for protecting the health of the state's natural and cultivated plant resources, and the environment, through preventive actions and activities designed to ensure the safe and proper use of agricultural chemicals.
- Plant Protection and Weed Control Section
- Pesticide and Fertilizer Section
- Agricultural Laboratory Section
- Division of Water ResourcesKansas Department of Agriculture, Division of Water ResourcesThe Division of Water Resources within the Kansas Department of Agriculture governs the use and allocation of the state's water resources; regulates the construction of dams, levees and other changes to streams; represents Kansas on its four interstate river compacts; and coordinates the National...
- governs how the state's water resources are allocated and used and regulates through statute the construction of dams, levees and other changes to streams.- Water Appropriation Program
- Water Structures Program
- Water Management Services Program
- Administrative Services and Support Division - responsible for coordinating the management functions of the Department
- Office of the Secretary
- Fiscal Section
- Personnel Section
- Legal Section
- Public Information Section
- Information Technology Section
- Food Safety and Consumer Protection Division - responsible for protecting the health and well-being of all consumers of agricultural products