Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

Template:Short description Template:Distinguish Template:Infobox official post Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was a United Kingdom cabinet position, responsible for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The post was originally named President of the Board of Agriculture and was created in 1889. In 1903, an Act was passed to transfer to the new styled Board of Agriculture and Fisheries certain powers and duties relating to the fishing industry, and the post was renamed President of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries.

In 1919, it was renamed Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries. In 1954, the separate position of Minister of Food was merged into the post and it was renamed Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

On 8 June 2001, the Ministry merged with Secretary of State for the Environment into the office of Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. However, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was not formally abolished until The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Dissolution) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/794) came into force on 27 March 2002.

Until the Dissolution Order also made the necessary amendments to the law when it did come into force, many statutory functions were still vested in the holder of the office of Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, rather in the Secretary of State at large. For that reason, in a final twist, Margaret Beckett had to be appointed formally as the last Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food as well as becoming the first Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.Template:Citation needed

The position was the last cabinet role (except that of Prime Minister) in the United Kingdom government to bear the 'Minister' title; since its abolition, heads of all government departments have been Secretaries of State. The title continues to be used for junior ranking ministers in charge of sub-portfolios, styled Ministers of State.

List of Agriculture Ministers and Board Presidents

Presidents of the Board of Agriculture (1889–1903)

Post created by the Board of Agriculture Act 1889.<ref>Board of Agriculture Act 1889 (52 and 53 Vict c 30)</ref>

President of the Board of Agriculture<ref name="Cook & Keith">Template:Cite book</ref>

Portrait		Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office		Party	Ministry
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Review of reviews and world's work (1890) (14594862499).jpg	Henry Chaplin MP for Sleaford (1840–1923)	9 September 1889	11 August 1892	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Salisbury II
rowspan=2 style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Herbert Gardner, Vanity Fair, 1886-04-07.jpg	Herbert Gardner MP for Saffron Walden (1846–1921)	25 August 1892	21 June 1895	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Liberal (UK) | Liberal	Template:Party shading/Liberal (UK) | Gladstone IV
Template:Party shading/Liberal (UK) | Rosebery
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Lord Long .jpg	Walter Long MP for Liverpool West Derby (1854–1924)	4 July 1895	16 November 1900	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Coalition (UK) | [[Unionist government, 1895–1905|Salisbury Template:Small]] (Con.–Lib.U.)
rowspan=2 style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Robert Hanbury.JPG	Robert William Hanbury MP for Preston (1845–1903)	16 November 1900	28 April 1903	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative
Template:Party shading/Coalition (UK) | Balfour (Con.–Lib.U.)

Presidents of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries (1903–1919)

Board of Agriculture superseded by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries in 1903.

President of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries<ref name="Cook & Keith" /><ref name="Buter & Butler">Template:Cite book</ref>

Portrait		Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office		Party	Ministry
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Lord Onslows.jpg	William Onslow 4th Earl of Onslow (1853–1911)	19 May 1903	12 March 1905	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Coalition (UK) | Balfour (Con.–Lib.U.)
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Ailwyn Fellowes.JPG	Ailwyn Fellowes MP for Ramsey (1855–1924)	12 March 1905	4 December 1905	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative
rowspan=2 style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:1stMarquessOfLincolnshire.jpg	Charles Wynn-Carington 1st Earl Carrington (1843–1928)	10 December 1905	23 October 1911	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Liberal (UK) | Liberal	Template:Party shading/Liberal (UK) |   Campbell-Bannerman
rowspan=3 Template:Party shading/Liberal (UK) | [[Liberal government, 1905–1915|Asquith Template:Small]]
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Portrait of Walter Runciman, 1st Viscount Runciman of Doxford.jpg	Walter Runciman MP for Dewsbury (1870–1949)	23 October 1911	6 August 1914	Template:Party shading/Liberal (UK) | Liberal
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:The Lord Lucas.jpg	Auberon Herbert 9th Baron Lucas (1876–1916)	6 August 1914	25 May 1915	Template:Party shading/Liberal (UK) | Liberal
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:William Palmer, 2nd Earl of Selborne.png	William Palmer 2nd Earl of Selborne (1859–1942)	25 May 1915	11 July 1916	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Coalition (UK) | Asquith Coalition (Lib.–Con.–Lab.)
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Crawford27.JPG	David Lindsay 27th Earl of Crawford (1871–1940)	11 July 1916	10 December 1916	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Rowland Edmund Prothero.jpg	Rowland Prothero MP for Oxford University (1851–1937)	10 December 1916	15 August 1919	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative	Template:Party shading/Coalition (UK) | Lloyd George (I & II) (Lib.–Con.–Lab.)

Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries, (1919–1954)

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries<ref name="Buter & Butler" />

Portrait		Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office		Party	Ministry
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Viscount Lee of Fareham.JPG	Arthur Lee 1st Baron Lee of Fareham (1868–1947)	15 August 1919	13 February 1921	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Coalition (UK) | Lloyd George (I & II) (Lib.–Con.–Lab.)
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Arthur Griffith-Boscawen.png	Sir Arthur Griffith-Boscawen MP for Taunton (1865–1946)	13 February 1921	24 October 1922	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative
rowspan=2 style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Lord Bayford.jpg	Sir Robert Sanders 1st Baronet MP for Bridgwater (1867–1940)<ref group=Note>Sanders lost his seat at the 1923 general election.</ref>	24 October 1922	22 January 1924	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Law
Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Baldwin I
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Noel Noel-Buxton.jpg	Noel Buxton MP for North Norfolk (1869–1948)	22 January 1924	3 November 1924	Template:Party shading/Labour | Labour	Template:Party shading/Labour | MacDonald I
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:1st Earl of Halifax 1947.jpg	E. F. L. Wood MP for Ripon (1881–1959)	6 November 1924	4 November 1925	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Baldwin II
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Walter Guinness, 1st Baron Moyne.png	Walter Guinness MP for Bury St Edmunds (1880–1944)	4 November 1925	4 June 1929	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Noel Noel-Buxton.jpg	Noel Buxton MP for North Norfolk (1869–1948)	7 June 1929	5 June 1930	Template:Party shading/Labour | Labour	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Labour | MacDonald II
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Dr. Christopher Addison LOC 16027831872 (cropped).jpg	Christopher Addison MP for Swindon (1869–1951)	5 June 1930	24 August 1931	Template:Party shading/Labour | Labour
rowspan=2 style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Sir John Gilmour.jpg	Sir John Gilmour "2ndBaronet MP for Glasgow Pollok (1876–1940)	25 August 1931	28 September 1932	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative	Template:Party shading/Coalition (UK) | National I (N.Lab.–Con.–Lib.N.–Lib.)
rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Coalition (UK) | National II (N.Lab.–Con.–Lib.N.–Lib.)
rowspan=2 style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Walter Elliott MP.jpg	Walter Elliot MP for Glasgow Kelvingrove (1888–1958)	28 September 1932	29 October 1936	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative
rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Coalition (UK) | National III (Con.–N.Lab.–Lib.N.)
rowspan=2 style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Lord Dunrossil-02.jpg	William Morrison MP for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (1893–1961)	29 October 1936	29 January 1939	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative
rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Coalition (UK) | National IV (Con.–N.Lab.–Lib.N.)
rowspan=2 style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Reginald Dorman Smit.jpg	Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith MP for Petersfield (1899–1977)	29 January 1939	14 May 1940	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative
Template:Party shading/Coalition (UK) | Chamberlain War (Con.–N.Lab.–Lib.N.)
rowspan=2 style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Viscount Hudson.jpg	Robert Hudson MP for Southport (1886–1957)	14 May 1940	26 July 1945	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative	Template:Party shading/Coalition (UK) | Churchill War (All parties)
Template:Party shading/Coalition (UK) | Churchill Caretaker (Con.–N.Lib.)
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Tom Williams, Baron Williams of Barnburgh.jpg	Tom Williams MP for Don Valley (1888–1967)	3 August 1945	26 October 1951	Template:Party shading/Labour | Labour	Template:Party shading/Labour | Attlee (I & II)
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Thomas Dugdale, 1st Baron Crathorne.jpg	Sir Thomas Dugdale 1st Baronet MP for Richmond (1897–1977)	31 October 1951	20 July 1954	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Churchill III
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Derick Heathcoat-Amory.png	Derick Heathcoat-Amory MP for Tiverton (1899–1981)	28 July 1954	18 October 1954	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative

Ministers of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1954–2001)

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food<ref name="Buter & Butler" />

Portrait		Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office		Party	Ministry	Ref.
rowspan=3 style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Derick Heathcoat-Amory cropped.png	Derick Heathcoat-Amory MP for Tiverton (1899–1981)	18 October 1954	6 January 1958	rowspan=3 Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Churchill III	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Eden
rowspan=3 Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Macmillan (I & II)
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:John Hare 1929.jpg	John Hare MP for Sudbury and Woodbridge (1911–1982)	6 January 1958	27 July 1960	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
rowspan=2 style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Christopher Soames (cropped).jpg	Christopher Soames MP for Bedford (1920–1987)	27 July 1960	16 October 1964	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Douglas-Home
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:No image.svg	Fred Peart MP for Workington (1914–1988)	16 October 1964	6 April 1968	Template:Party shading/Labour | Labour	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Labour |Wilson (I & II)	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:No image.svg	Cledwyn Hughes MP for Anglesey (1916–2001)	6 April 1968	19 June 1970	Template:Party shading/Labour | Labour	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:No image.svg	Jim Prior MP for Lowestoft (1927–2016)	20 June 1970	5 November 1972	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Heath	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:No image.svg	Joseph Godber MP for Grantham (1914–1980)	5 November 1972	4 March 1974	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
rowspan=2 style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:No image.svg	Fred Peart MP for Workington (1914–1988)	5 March 1974	10 September 1976	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Labour | Labour	Template:Party shading/Labour | Wilson (III & IV)
rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Labour | Callaghan
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:No image.svg	John Silkin MP for Lewisham Deptford (1923–1987)	10 September 1976	4 May 1979	Template:Party shading/Labour | Labour	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:No image.svg	Peter Walker MP for Worcester (1932–2010)	5 May 1979	11 June 1983	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Thatcher I	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:No image.svg	Michael Jopling MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale (1930–)	11 June 1983	13 June 1987	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Thatcher II	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Official portrait of Lord MacGregor of Pulham Market crop 2.jpg	John MacGregor MP for South Norfolk (1937–)	13 June 1987	24 July 1989	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Thatcher III	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
rowspan=3 style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:John Gummer 2006-03-01.jpg	John Gummer MP for Suffolk Coastal (1939–)	24 July 1989	27 May 1993	rowspan=3 Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Major I
rowspan=4 Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Major II
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Official portrait of Baroness Shephard of Northwold crop 2.jpg	Gillian Shephard MP for South West Norfolk (1940–)	27 May 1993	20 July 1994	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Official portrait of Lord Waldegrave of North Hill 2020 crop 2.jpg	William Waldegrave MP for Bristol West (1946–)	20 July 1994	5 July 1995	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:DouglasHogg 20040917.jpg	Douglas Hogg MP for Grantham (1945–)	5 July 1995	2 May 1997	Template:Party shading/Conservative (UK) | Conservative	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:No image.svg	Jack Cunningham MP for Copeland (1939–)	3 May 1997	27 July 1998	Template:Party shading/Labour | Labour	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Labour | Blair I	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Official portrait of Mr Nicholas Brown crop 2.jpg	Nick Brown MP for Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend (1950–)	27 July 1998	8 June 2001	Template:Party shading/Labour | Labour	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	File:Official portrait of Margaret Beckett crop 2.jpg	Margaret Beckett MP for Derby South (1943–)	8 June 2001	27 March 2002	Template:Party shading/Labour | Labour	Template:Party shading/Labour | Blair II	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>Template:Better source needed

From 2002 the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was dissolved and ministerial responsibility formerly transferred to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.