The Honorable Don Henderson
Director
Nevada Department of Agriculture

Gov. Kenny Guinn appointed Don Henderson to serve as director of the Nevada Department of Agriculture on October 24, 2003. 

Henderson, 45, will earn an annual salary of $85,750. Gov. Guinn approved the Department of Agriculture's appointment of Henderson to his cabinet after a thorough recruitment and evaluation process.

“I look forward to working with Don to improve efficiencies and expand the effectiveness of this important Department,” Gov. Guinn said. “Few people fully recognize the broad role the Department of Agriculture plays in overseeing commerce in Nevada.”

The Department of Agriculture has the responsibility for ensuring that all measuring devices used in the state for commerce are accurate, and extends to servicing and assisting corporate and family-owned agricultural operations, the petroleum industry, and the green industries, including horticulture and pest control sectors.  Of equal importance is the critical role that the Department of Agriculture plays in protecting Nevada consumers by assuring the quality of the commodity they are purchasing, as well as keeping harmful pests, diseases, and invasive species from adversely affecting our commercial industries, our natural environment, human health, and the quality of life in Nevada. 

“It's an honor to approved by Gov. Guinn, to this position,” Henderson said.  “It's a big job and one that I am ready to tackle with help and support from staff and the numerous industry constituents that the Department works with.  We have a great staff and I look forward to working with them to improve efficiencies and the effectiveness of the agency.  One of my top priorities will be to increase two-way communication with our constituent industries and other agencies, and to work with industry to build a vision for the Department for a 10 to 15 year planning horizon.  Once we have this consensus in-hand, I'll work with the Governor's Office, the Board of Agriculture, staff, and our stakeholders to move the Department toward this vision.” 

Henderson assumed the director's duties after the previous agency director, Paul Iverson, fell ill last year.  Henderson has lived in Nevada for 22 years coming from Bishop, California where he was raised.  He has been the Department's deputy director since 1998.  Before that he worked for 13 years for a private consulting firm located in Carson City specializing in the areas of rangeland management and arid land reclamation.  Henderson has a bachelor's degree from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and a master's degree from University of Nevada Reno in the fields of natural resource management and rangeland grazing.  Henderson is certified as a Range Management Consultant and Professional Rangeland Manager by the Society for Range Management.