Commissioner Doug Petersen joins the Department of Agricultural Resources with a strong background in environmental and agricultural issues. As State Representative representing Marblehead, Swampscott, and a portion of Lynn for sixteen years, Mr. Petersen served on the Joint Committee of the Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture for his entire legislative career. He served as House vice chairman in 1996 and 1997 and then as House chairman until 2001. He was also a member of the Council of State Governments’ Agricultural Subcommittee.

Among his many legislative accomplishments, Petersen spearheaded the effort to defeat an initiative by milk processors to repeal the New England Dairy Compact, which would have dramatically lowered prices paid to Massachusetts Dairy Farmers. He also led efforts to increase technical assistance to farmers in the application of integrated pest management techniques, which save farmers money and provided for safer and healthier farm management. He then authored legislation to extend those pesticide management techniques employed by Massachusetts farmers to schools, playgrounds, and daycare facilities in the Children and Families Protection Act.

Born in New York, Doug received his Bachelor’s Degree with honors from Wagner College on Staten Island. He holds two Master’s Degrees: a Master’s Degree in Science from Simmons College (M.S.W. ’75) and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration at Harvard (M.P.A. ’89). He resides in Marblehead with his wife, Nancy Ryan Petersen, M.D. and two children, Ryan 21, and Kati, 17.