The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was a United Kingdom cabinet position, responsible for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The post was originally named President of the Board of Agriculture and was created in 1889. In 1903, an Act was passed to transfer to the new styled Board of Agriculture and Fisheries certain powers and duties relating to the fishing industry, and the post was renamed President of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries.
In 1919, it was renamed Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries. In 1954, the separate position of Minister of Food was merged into the post and it was renamed Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
On 8 June 2001, the Ministry merged with Secretary of State for the Environment into the office of Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. However, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was not formally abolished until The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Dissolution) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/794) came into force on 27 March 2002.
Until the Dissolution Order also made the necessary amendments to the law when it did come into force, many statutory functions were still vested in the holder of the office of Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, rather in the Secretary of State at large. For that reason, in a final twist, Margaret Beckett had to be appointed formally as the last Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food as well as becoming the first Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
The position was the last cabinet appointment (except that of Prime Minister) in the United Kingdom government to bear the 'Minister' title; since its abolition, heads of all government departments have been Secretaries of State or Chancellors. The title continues to be used for junior ranking ministers in charge of sub-portfolios, styled Ministers of State.
List of Agriculture Ministers and Board Presidents
Presidents of the Board of Agriculture (1889–1903)
Post created by the Board of Agriculture Act 1889.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; white-space: nowrap;"
|+President of the Board of Agriculture
! colspan=2 | Portrait
! Name<br><small>(Birth–Death)</small>
! colspan=2 | Term of office
! Party
! Ministry
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| Henry Chaplin<br><small>MP for Sleaford<br>(1840–1923)</small>
| <small>9 September</small><br>1889
| <small>11 August</small><br>1892
| | Conservative
| | Salisbury II
|-
| rowspan=2 style="background-color: " |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | Herbert Gardner<br><small>MP for Saffron Walden<br>(1846–1921)</small>
| rowspan=2 | <small>25 August</small><br>1892
| rowspan=2 | <small>21 June</small><br>1895
| rowspan=2 | Liberal
| | Gladstone IV
|-
| | Rosebery
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| Walter Long<br><small>MP for Liverpool West Derby<br>(1854–1924)</small>
| <small>4 July</small><br>1895
| <small>16 November</small><br>1900
| | Conservative
| rowspan=2 | Salisbury<br><br><small>(Con.–Lib.U.)</small>
|-
| rowspan=2 style="background-color: " |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | Robert William Hanbury<br><small>MP for Preston<br>(1845–1903)</small>
| rowspan=2 | <small>16 November</small><br>1900
| rowspan=2 | <small>28 April</small><br>1903
| rowspan=2 | Conservative
|-
| | Balfour<br><small>(Con.–Lib.U.)</small>
|}
Presidents of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries (1903–1919)
Board of Agriculture superseded by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries in 1903.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; white-space: nowrap;"
|+President of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries
! colspan=2 | Portrait
! Name<br><small>(Birth–Death)</small>
! colspan=2 | Term of office
! Party
! Ministry
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| William Onslow<br>4th Earl of Onslow<br><small>(1853–1911)</small>
| <small>19 May</small><br>1903
| <small>12 March</small><br>1905
| | Conservative
| rowspan=2 | Balfour<br><small>(Con.–Lib.U.)</small>
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| Ailwyn Fellowes<br><small>MP for Ramsey<br>(1855–1924)</small>
| <small>12 March</small><br>1905
| <small>4 December</small><br>1905
| | Conservative
|-
| rowspan=2 style="background-color: " |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | Charles Wynn-Carington<br>1st Earl Carrington<br><small>(1843–1928)</small>
| rowspan=2 | <small>10 December</small><br>1905
| rowspan=2 | <small>23 October</small><br>1911
| rowspan=2 | Liberal
| | <br>Campbell-Bannerman<br>
|-
| rowspan=3 | Asquith<br>
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| Walter Runciman<br><small>MP for Dewsbury<br>(1870–1949)</small>
| <small>23 October</small><br>1911
| <small>6 August</small><br>1914
| | Liberal
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| Auberon Herbert<br>9th Baron Lucas<br><small>(1876–1916)</small>
| <small>6 August</small><br>1914
| <small>25 May</small><br>1915
| | Liberal
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| William Palmer<br>2nd Earl of Selborne<br><small>(1859–1942)</small>
| <small>25 May</small><br>1915
| <small>11 July</small><br>1916
| | Conservative
| rowspan=2 | Asquith Coalition<br><small>(Lib.–Con.–Lab.)</small>
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| David Lindsay<br>27th Earl of Crawford<br><small>(1871–1940)</small>
| <small>11 July</small><br>1916
| <small>10 December</small><br>1916
| | Conservative
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| Rowland Prothero<br><small>MP for Oxford University<br>(1851–1937)</small>
| <small>10 December</small><br>1916
| <small>15 August</small><br>1919
| | Conservative
| | Lloyd George<br><small>(I & II)</small><br><small>(Lib.–Con.–Lab.)</small>
|}
Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries, (1919–1954)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; white-space: nowrap;"
|+Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries
| rowspan=2 | <small>24 October</small><br>1922
| rowspan=2 | <small>22 January</small><br>1924
| rowspan=2 | Conservative
| | Law
|-
| | Baldwin I
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| Noel Buxton<br><small>MP for North Norfolk<br>(1869–1948)</small>
| <small>22 January</small><br>1924
| <small>3 November</small><br>1924
| | Labour
| | MacDonald I
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| E. F. L. Wood<br><small>MP for Ripon<br>(1881–1959)</small>
| <small>6 November</small><br>1924
| <small>4 November</small><br>1925
| | Conservative
| rowspan=2 | Baldwin II
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| Walter Guinness<br><small>MP for Bury St Edmunds<br>(1880–1944)</small>
| <small>4 November</small><br>1925
| <small>4 June</small><br>1929
| | Conservative
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| Noel Buxton<br><small>MP for North Norfolk<br>(1869–1948)</small>
| <small>7 June</small><br>1929
| <small>5 June</small><br>1930
| | Labour
| rowspan=2 | MacDonald II
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| Christopher Addison<br><small>MP for Swindon<br>(1869–1951)</small>
| <small>5 June</small><br>1930
| <small>24 August</small><br>1931
| | Labour
|-
| rowspan=2 style="background-color: " |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | Sir John Gilmour<br>"2nd<small>Baronet</small><br><small>MP for Glasgow Pollok<br>(1876–1940)</small>
| rowspan=2 | <small>25 August</small><br>1931
| rowspan=2 | <small>28 September</small><br>1932
| rowspan=2 | Conservative
| | National I<br><small>(N.Lab.–Con.–Lib.N.–Lib.)</small>
|-
| rowspan=2 | National II<br><small>(N.Lab.–Con.–Lib.N.–Lib.)</small>
|-
| rowspan=2 style="background-color: " |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | Walter Elliot<br><small>MP for Glasgow Kelvingrove<br>(1888–1958)</small>
| rowspan=2 | <small>28 September</small><br>1932
| rowspan=2 | <small>29 October</small><br>1936
| rowspan=2 | Conservative
|-
| rowspan=2 | National III<br><small>(Con.–N.Lab.–Lib.N.</small>)
|-
| rowspan=2 style="background-color: " |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | William Morrison<br><small>MP for Cirencester and Tewkesbury<br>(1893–1961)</small>
| rowspan=2 | <small>29 October</small><br>1936
| rowspan=2 | <small>29 January</small><br>1939
| rowspan=2 | Conservative
|-
| rowspan=2 | National IV<br><small>(Con.–N.Lab.–Lib.N.</small>)
|-
| rowspan=2 style="background-color: " |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith<br><small>MP for Petersfield<br>(1899–1977)</small>
| rowspan=2 | <small>29 January</small><br>1939
| rowspan=2 | <small>14 May</small><br>1940
| rowspan=2 | Conservative
|-
| | Chamberlain War<br><small>(Con.–N.Lab.–Lib.N.</small>)
|-
| rowspan=2 style="background-color: " |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | Robert Hudson<br><small>MP for Southport<br>(1886–1957)</small>
| rowspan=2 | <small>14 May</small><br>1940
| rowspan=2 | <small>26 July</small><br>1945
| rowspan=2 | Conservative
| | Churchill War<br><small>(All parties)</small>
|-
| | Churchill Caretaker<br><small>(Con.–N.Lib.)</small>
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| Tom Williams<br><small>MP for Don Valley<br>(1888–1967)</small>
| <small>3 August</small><br>1945
| <small>26 October</small><br>1951
| | Labour
| | Attlee<br><small>(I & II)</small>
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| Sir Thomas Dugdale<br>1st <small>Baronet</small><br><small>MP for Richmond<br>(1897–1977)</small>
| <small>31 October</small><br>1951
| <small>20 July</small><br>1954
| | Conservative
| rowspan=2 | Churchill III
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| Derick Heathcoat-Amory<br><small>MP for Tiverton<br>(1899–1981)</small>
| <small>28 July</small><br>1954
| <small>18 October</small><br>1954
| | Conservative
|}
Ministers of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1954–2001)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; white-space: nowrap;"
|+Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
|-
| | Eden
|-
| rowspan=3 | Macmillan<br><small>(I & II)</small>
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| John Hare<br><small>MP for Sudbury and Woodbridge<br>(1911–1982)</small>
| <small>6 January</small><br>1958
| <small>27 July</small><br>1960
| | Conservative
|
|-
| rowspan=2 style="background-color: " |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | Christopher Soames<br><small>MP for Bedford<br>(1920–1987)</small>
| rowspan=2 | <small>27 July</small><br>1960
| rowspan=2 | <small>16 October</small><br>1964
| rowspan=2 | Conservative
| rowspan=2 |
|-
| | Douglas-Home
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| Fred Peart<br><small>MP for Workington<br>(1914–1988)</small>
| <small>16 October</small><br>1964
| <small>6 April</small><br>1968
| | Labour
| rowspan=2 |Wilson<br><small>(I & II)</small>
|
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| Cledwyn Hughes<br><small>MP for Anglesey<br>(1916–2001)</small>
| <small>6 April</small><br>1968
| <small>19 June</small><br>1970
| | Labour
|
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| Jim Prior<br><small>MP for Lowestoft<br>(1927–2016)</small>
| <small>20 June</small><br>1970
| <small>5 November</small><br>1972
| | Conservative
| rowspan=2 | Heath
|
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| Joseph Godber<br><small>MP for Grantham<br>(1914–1980)</small>
| <small>5 November</small><br>1972
| <small>4 March</small><br>1974
| | Conservative
|
|-
| rowspan=2 style="background-color: " |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | Fred Peart<br><small>MP for Workington<br>(1914–1988)</small>
| rowspan=2 | <small>5 March</small><br>1974
| rowspan=2 | <small>10 September</small><br>1976
| rowspan=2 | Labour
| | Wilson<br><small>(III & IV)</small>
| rowspan=2 |
|-
| rowspan=2 | Callaghan
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| John Silkin<br><small>MP for Lewisham Deptford<br>(1923–1987)</small>
| <small>10 September</small><br>1976
| <small>4 May</small><br>1979
| | Labour
|
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| Peter Walker<br><small>MP for Worcester<br>(1932–2010)</small>
| <small>5 May</small><br>1979
| <small>11 June</small><br>1983
| | Conservative
| | Thatcher I
|
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| Michael Jopling<br><small>MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale<br>(1930–)</small>
| <small>11 June</small><br>1983
| <small>13 June</small><br>1987
| | Conservative
| | Thatcher II
|
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| John MacGregor<br><small>MP for South Norfolk<br>(1937–)</small>
| <small>13 June</small><br>1987
| <small>24 July</small><br>1989
| | Conservative
| rowspan=2 | Thatcher III
|
|-
| rowspan=3 style="background-color: " |
| rowspan=3 | 100x100px
| rowspan=3 | John Gummer<br><small>MP for Suffolk Coastal<br>(1939–)</small>
| rowspan=3 | <small>24 July</small><br>1989
| rowspan=3 | <small>27 May</small><br>1993
| rowspan=3 | Conservative
| rowspan=3 |
|-
| | Major I
|-
| rowspan=4 | Major II
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 100x100px
| Gillian Shephard<br><small>MP for South West Norfolk<br>(1940–)</small>
| <small>27 May</small><br>1993
| <small>20 July</small><br>1994
| | Conservative
|
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 106x106px
| William Waldegrave<br><small>MP for Bristol West<br>(1946–)</small>
| <small>20 July</small><br>1994
| <small>5 July</small><br>1995
| | Conservative
|
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| Douglas Hogg<br><small>MP for Grantham<br>(1945–)</small>
| <small>5 July</small><br>1995
| <small>2 May</small><br>1997
| | Conservative
|
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 99x99px
| Jack Cunningham<br><small>MP for Copeland<br>(1939–)</small>
| <small>3 May</small><br>1997
| <small>27 July</small><br>1998
| | Labour
| rowspan=2 | Blair I
|
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| 75px
| Nick Brown<br><small>MP for Newcastle upon<br>Tyne East and Wallsend<br>(1950–)</small>
| <small>27 July</small><br>1998
| <small>8 June</small><br>2001
| | Labour
|
|}
From 2002 the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was dissolved and ministerial responsibility formerly transferred to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.