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Connecticut Commissioner of Agriculture
From Ballotpedia
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Current officeholder
The current commissioner is Steven Reviczky, who was first appointed in January 2011 by Governor Dan Malloy and took office on March 1. Like all appointed state executives, Reviczky serves four year terms, and so will come up for reappointment in March 2015.
Before becoming commissioner, Reviczky was executive director of the Connecticut Farm Bureau Association from 2006 to 2011. Earlier in his career, he worked for the Connecticut Department of Agriculture's Farmland Preservation Program for eight years and in the Connecticut Department of Envrionmental Protection for nine years. Before joining the state's executive branch, he was a special legislative assistant to the Secretary of the Office of Policy Management.
Authority
The office of agriculture commissioner is established by statute.[1]
General Statutes of Connecticut, 22-422-1
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There shall be a state Department of Agriculture, consisting of a Commissioner of Agriculture and, subject to the provisions of chapter 67, such employees as may be necessary for the performance of the duties required by the general statutes. |
Qualifications
State law requires that the commissioner be "qualified by training and experience for the duties of his office," but does not establish any specific requirements.[2]
General Statutes of Connecticut, 4-46-8
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Each department head shall be qualified by training and experience for the duties of his office. |
Appointments
Agriculture commissioners are appointed by the governor subject to confirmation by the state legislature. The commissioner serves at the governor's pleasure for four year terms beginning on the first day of March in the year of his appointment.[3]
General Statutes of Connecticut, 4-46-6
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the Governor shall, with the advice and consent of either house of the General Assembly, appoint each department head in the manner prescribed by section 4-7 and section 4-8, to serve at the pleasure of the Governor but no longer than four years from the first day of March in the year of his appointment, unless reappointed under the provisions of said sections. |
Term limits
There are no term limits associated with the office of agriculture commissioner.
Vacancies
As with all state appointive offices, vacancies in the office of agriculture commissioner are filled by the governor and approved by a majority vote in both houses of the state legislature. If a vacancy occurs while the legislature is not in session, the governor may appoint a replacement to serve until the sixth Wednesday of the next legislative session.[4]
Duties
The commissioner of agriculture is the chief executive of the Connecticut Department of Agriculture and coordinates and plans its activities.
The Department of Agriculture's responsibilities include both regulating and promoting Connecticut's agriculture industry. It:
- Establishes standards for the production and distribution of agricultural goods to ensure food safety
- Oversees and promotes the harvesting of shellfish and other marine life
- Provides marketing assistance for the goods of Connecticut's farmers and other aid to people wishing to enter the agriculture industry or expand their business
- Produces statistics and research regarding the Connecticut agricultural market
- Operates the Hartford Regional Market, a 32-acre facility for farmers and wholesales to sell food.
Divisions
- Commissioner's Office
- Bureau of Regulation and Inspection
- Bureau of Aquaculture
- Bureau of Agricultural Development and Resource Preservation
- Hartford Regional Market
Compensation
In 2010, the agriculture commissioner received compensation in the amount of $120,200.[5] His salary is determined by law.
Contact info
Address:
165 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106
Phone: (860) 713-2500
See also
External links
References
- ↑ General Statutes of Connecticut, "22-422-1," accessed July 28, 2011.
- ↑ General Statutes of Connecticut, "4-46-8," accessed July 28, 2011.
- ↑ General Statutes of Connecticut, "4-46-6," accessed July 27, 2011.
- ↑ General Statutes of Connecticut, "4-46-7," accessed July 27, 2011.
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2010 - Table 4.11," accessed July 25, 2011.
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