West Virginia Department of Agriculture

West Virginia Department of Agriculture
Agency overview
JurisdictionState of West Virginia
Headquarters1900 Kanawha Boulevard E,
Charleston, West Virginia, U.S.[1]
38°20′16″N 81°36′52″W / 38.337875°N 81.614500°W / 38.337875; -81.614500
Agency executive
Websitewww.agriculture.wv.gov

The West Virginia Department of Agriculture is a government agency of the U.S. state of West Virginia.

History

The Department of Agriculture was founded in 1891 as the West Virginia State Board of Agriculture. In 1911, the West Virginia Legislature created the modern department.[2]

Organization

The West Virginia Department of Agriculture is managed by the agriculture commissioner, an elected official operating independently of the governor's authority.

Kent Leonhardt has served as the commissioner of the department since January 2017.

List of Commissioners

No. Name Took office Left office Party
1 Howard E. Williams March 4, 1913[3] March 3, 1917[3] Republican
2 James H. Stewart March 4, 1917[3] March 3, 1925[3] Republican
3 John W. Smith March 4, 1925[3] January 10, 1931[3] Republican
4 Howard M. Gore February 4, 1931[3] March 3, 1933[3] Republican
5 James B. McLaughlin March 4, 1933[3] November 20, 1955[4] Democratic
6 John T. Johnson December 14, 1955[4] 1965 Democratic
7 Gus R. Douglass 1965[5] 1989[5] Democratic
8 Cleve Benedict 1989[6] 1993 Republican
9 Gus R. Douglass 1993[5] 2013[5] Democratic
10 Walt Helmick 2013 2017 Democratic
11 Kent Leonhardt 2017 Incumbent Republican

References

  1. ^ "Agency".
  2. ^ "Divisions". West Virginia Department of Agriculture. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Commissioner of Agriculture" (PDF). West Virginia Blue Book. 1940. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Commissioner of Agriculture" (PDF). West Virginia Blue Book. 2011. p. 333. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d "Gus Douglass, Longtime W. VA. Commissioner dies". Lancaster Farming. March 28, 2015. p. A5. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  6. ^ "Cleve Benedict" (PDF). West Virginia Blue Book. p. 20. Retrieved September 9, 2025.