Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) Commissioner Gene Hugoson today announced that Assistant Commissioner Joe Martin will be leaving the department effective Tuesday, August 31, 2010.

Martin is forming Rural Strategies LLC, an agricultural and rural public affairs, management and consulting business.

Martin has served as an assistant commissioner at MDA since 2005, overseeing the department's food safety, crop input, and pest prevention regulatory activities.  Since 2007, Martin has served in the critical role of Statewide Bovine TB Coordinator, coordinating the efforts of MDA, the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and other partners to contain the disease and move toward its ultimate eradication.

"Joe has been a great leader and a very effective advocate for Minnesota farmers and consumers," Commissioner Hugoson said.  "He has shown a special talent for bringing people together to address complex challenges.  We saw this most clearly in his superb work guiding the state's response to the bovine tuberculosis outbreak in northwestern Minnesota.  I wish Joe the best of luck in his new endeavors."

Martin said serving as Assistant Commissioner has been both an honor and humbling experience.

"What I will take with me is a deeper understanding of the importance of agriculture to the State of Minnesota, and that our industry is comprised of wonderful hard working people," he said.