Governor Jon M. Huntsman, Jr., named Leonard Blackham, vice president and manager of Moroni Feed Co., commissioner of agriculture and food January 5, 2005. Blackham becomes the state's sixth commissioner since Utah adopted the single commissioner structure.  The Utah Legislature confirmed Blackham's appointment on Monday, Jan. 17, and the commissioner officially moved into his office the next day.

 Blackham says the department will be expanding its domestic and international marketing efforts, and he plans on adding a new division within the department to meet his goals.  He says agribusiness is the lifeblood of rural Utah, and he wants to bring new economic vitality to those areas of the state.

 Blackham has been in the turkey farming business all of his professional life.  He was elected to the Utah House of Representative in 1992 but before taking the oath of office was appointed to the Utah Senate. Blackham has served for 12 years in the Senate--10 years in leadership roles. His leadership positions include: majority whip (1995 - 2000) majority leader (2000)Senate chair of Rural Caucus (1994-2004); Executive Appropriations Senate chair (2001-2004); Energy Policy Task Force Senate chair (1998-2004); Legislative Process Committee Senate chair (1995-2004); Lands Conservation Task Force Senate chair (1996); Legislative Child Care Task Force Senate chair (1999); State Water Development Commission Senate chair (1998-2002); Applied Technology Education Task Force Senate chair (2001); member standing and Interim Ag, Natural Resources, Health and Taxation.
 
Blackham earned an associate's degree at Snow College and a bachelor's in agriculture economics from Utah State University. He and his wife, Laura, reside in Moroni and are parents to 6 children and 6 grandchildren.