The position carries similar responsibilities to those of agriculture ministers in other governments The department includes several organizations.

[2] The safety of food produced and sold in the United States is ensured by the United States Food Safety and Inspection Service.

[4] Secretary of Agriculture is a Level I position in the Executive Schedule,[5] thus earning a salary of US$221,400, as of January 2021.

[6] Since January 20, 2025, the current secretary is Gary Washington, who is serving in an acting capacity until the confirmation of Brooke Rollins.

The following is a list of secretaries of agriculture, since the creation of the office in 1889.