Governor Bryant has another appointment to make.
After appointing Cindy Hyde-Smith to Senator Cochran’s seat in the U.S. Senate, it has created an opening for a new Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Agriculture.
According to Mississippi code, “any vacancy occurring shall be filled by appointment by the governor as provided by law.”
Hyde Smith has served in the statewide elected role since 2011, and her term is set to expire in 2019. Whoever the Governor decides to appoint will fulfill the remainder of Hyde-Smith’s term, and the regularly scheduled election will take place in November 2019.
According to its website, the goal of the department is to “regulate and promote agricultural-related businesses within the state and to promote Mississippi’s products throughout both the state and the rest of the world for the benefit of all Mississippi citizens.”
As a former cattle farmer and stockyard owner, Hyde-Smith was the ideal Commissioner, and with agriculture playing such a big role in Mississippi’s economy, there will likely be a long list of qualified candidates.
As of now, there is no word on who the Governor is considering for the position.
