# Minister of Agriculture (New Zealand)

The Minister of Agriculture is a minister in the New Zealand Government. It was re-created as a standalone portfolio in 2017 after previously existing continuously from 1889 to 1998, and again from 1999 to 2012. The current Minister is Todd McClay.

## Responsibilities and powers

The minister's responsibilities include protecting and promoting the productivity, sustainability and export performance of New Zealand's agricultural sector. They are also the lead minister for the Ministry for Primary Industries, which is the government department that provides support to the portfolio. Previously the minister was responsible for smaller departments such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
The minister is responsible for legislation related to the agricultural sector including the Animal Welfare Act 1999 and the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act 2001.

## History

John McKenzie established the Department of Agriculture on 31 March 1892, and the first minister, George Richardson, was appointed on 17 October 1889. Prior to Keith Holyoake receiving it in 1949, the portfolio "had become notorious as a political graveyard". The fisheries portfolio was briefly combined in the agriculture portfolio between 1972 and 1977.
In the Shipley minority government, the position was disestablished and replaced with the new role of Minister of Food, Fibre, Biosecurity and Border Control, which consolidated ministerial responsibility for the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry of Fisheries, Land Information New Zealand and the New Zealand Customs Service. The change was unpopular with the farming sector and was reverted by the incoming Labour government in 1999.
In the second and third terms of the Fifth National Government, the portfolio was again disestablished and merged into the larger position of Minister for Primary Industries. A standalone agriculture ministerial position was restored in 2017.

## List of ministers of agriculture
### Key

Independent  Liberal  Reform  United  Labour  National  Progressive
| No. | No. | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Prime Minister |
| | 1 | George Richardson | 17 October 1889 | 24 January 1891 | Atkinson |
| | 2 | John McKenzie | 24 January 1891 | 27 June 1900 | Ballance |
| | 2 | John McKenzie | 24 January 1891 | 27 June 1900 | Seddon |
| | 3 | Thomas Young Duncan | 2 July 1900 | 6 August 1906 | Seddon |
| | 3 | Thomas Young Duncan | 2 July 1900 | 6 August 1906 | Hall-Jones |
| | 4 | Robert McNab | 6 August 1906 | 30 November 1908 | Ward |
| | 5 | Joseph Ward | 1 December 1908 | 1 May 1909 | Ward |
| | 6 | Thomas Mackenzie | 1 May 1909 | 10 July 1912 | Ward |
| | 6 | Thomas Mackenzie | 1 May 1909 | 10 July 1912 | Mackenzie |
| | 7 | William Massey | 10 July 1912 | 12 August 1915 | Massey |
| | 8 | William MacDonald | 12 August 1915 | 22 August 1919 | Massey |
| | 9 | William Nosworthy | 4 September 1919 | 18 January 1926 | Massey |
| | 9 | William Nosworthy | 4 September 1919 | 18 January 1926 | Bell |
| | 9 | William Nosworthy | 4 September 1919 | 18 January 1926 | Coates |
| | 10 | Oswald Hawken | 18 January 1926 | 24 August 1928 | Coates |
| | 11 | George Forbes | 10 December 1928 | 28 May 1930 | Ward |
| | 12 | Alfred Murdoch | 28 May 1930 | 22 September 1931 | Forbes |
| | 13 | David Jones | 22 September 1931 | 8 January 1932 | Forbes |
| | 14 | Charles Macmillan | 8 January 1932 | 6 December 1935 | Forbes |
| | 15 | Lee Martin | 6 December 1935 | 21 January 1941 | Savage |
| | 15 | Lee Martin | 6 December 1935 | 21 January 1941 | Fraser |
| | 16 | Jim Barclay | 21 January 1941 | 18 October 1943 | Fraser |
| | 17 | Ben Roberts | 29 October 1943 | 19 December 1946 | Fraser |
| | 18 | Ted Cullen | 19 December 1946 | 13 December 1949 | Fraser |
| | 19 | Keith Holyoake | 13 December 1949 | 26 September 1957 | Holland |
| | 20 | Sid Smith | 26 September 1957 | 12 December 1957 | Holland |
| | 20 | Sid Smith | 26 September 1957 | 12 December 1957 | Holyoake |
| | 21 | Jerry Skinner | 12 December 1957 | 12 December 1960 | Nash |
| | 22 | William Gillespie | 12 December 1960 | 23 April 1961 | Holyoake |
| | 23 | Thomas Hayman | 2 May 1961 | 2 January 1962 | Holyoake |
| | 24 | Brian Talboys | 24 January 1962 | 22 December 1969 | Holyoake |
| | 25 | Douglas Carter | 22 December 1969 | 8 December 1972 | Holyoake |
| | 25 | Douglas Carter | 22 December 1969 | 8 December 1972 | Marshall |
| | 26 | Colin Moyle | 8 December 1972 | 12 December 1975 | Kirk |
| | 26 | Colin Moyle | 8 December 1972 | 12 December 1975 | Rowling |
| | 27 | Duncan MacIntyre | 12 December 1975 | 26 July 1984 | Muldoon |
| | (26) | Colin Moyle | 26 July 1984 | 9 February 1990 | Lange |
| | (26) | Colin Moyle | 26 July 1984 | 9 February 1990 | Palmer |
| | 28 | Jim Sutton | 9 February 1990 | 2 November 1990 | Palmer |
| | 28 | Jim Sutton | 9 February 1990 | 2 November 1990 | Moore |
| | 29 | John Falloon | 2 November 1990 | 29 February 1996 | Bolger |
| | 30 | Lockwood Smith | 29 February 1996 | 26 August 1998 | Bolger |
| | 30 | Lockwood Smith | 29 February 1996 | 26 August 1998 | Shipley |
| | 31 | John Luxton | 26 August 1998 | 10 December 1999 | Shipley |
| | (28) | Jim Sutton | 10 December 1999 | 19 October 2005 | Clark |
| | 32 | Jim Anderton | 19 October 2005 | 19 November 2008 | Clark |
| | 33 | David Carter | 19 November 2008 | 14 December 2011 | Key |
| 2011–2017: No separate appointments ||||||||
| | 34 | Damien O'Connor | 26 October 2017 | 27 November 2023 | Ardern |
| | 34 | Damien O'Connor | 26 October 2017 | 27 November 2023 | Hipkins |
| | 35 | Todd McClay | 27 November 2023 | present | Luxon |
Table footnotes:
* ↑ as Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries
* ↑ as Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries until 8 March 1977
* ↑ as Minister of Food, Fibre and Biosecurity