Governor-elect Mark Dayton today announced the appointment of David Frederickson, former National Farmer's Union President and current Director of Agricultural Outreach for US Senator Amy Klobuchar, as his Commissioner of Agriculture. Frederickson is Dayton's second commissioner-level appointment.

Dave Frederickson will be a tremendous Commissioner of Agriculture, Dayton said. He has outstanding qualifications: a farmer, former state legislator, President of both the Minnesota and the National Farmers Unions. Most importantly, he brings a deep commitment to public service and to improving our state's critically important agriculture economy.

I am honored and privileged to serve the people of Minnesota as Commissioner of Agriculture, said David Frederickson. Governor-elect Dayton has a deep understanding and commitment to agricultural issues, and I greatly look forward to assisting him in keeping Minnesota's agricultural community strong and prosperous.

Dave will be a fine State Agriculture Commissioner, said Sen. Klobuchar. He worked with me on the Farm Bill and I saw firsthand the respect he garners from farmers not only in Minnesota but across the country. We will miss his good humor and kind manner but we know he will hit the ground running in his new job.

David Frederickson is a former Minnesota State Senator, former President of both the Minnesota Farmer's Union and National Farmer's Union, and, most recently, was US Senator Amy Klobuchar's Agricultural Outreach Director. Frederickson brings decades of both domestic and international agricultural knowledge to the position. He was also a fourth-generation family farmer/owner operator himself.