Department of Agriculture

On March 31, 2023, the Hawai`i State Senate unanimously confirmed Sharon Hurd as Chairperson of the Hawai`i Board of Agriculture, a position which includes heading the Hawai`i Department of Agriculture (HDOA).

Chair Hurd truly appreciates the support she has received from the many farmers, ranchers, growers, those in the agriculture-related industries and from the staff of HDOA. During the confirmation hearings, Chair Hurd received hundreds of testimonies in support of her nomination to the post by Gov. Josh Green.

Sharon Hurd joined the Hawai`i Department of Agriculture in 2007 in the Market Development Branch (MDB) where she established regular communication with the commodity groups and agriculture associations which have been key to her understanding of Hawai`i agriculture.  Prior to her appointment as the Chairperson of the Hawai`i Board of Agriculture in January 2023, Hurd served as the Business Development Program Manager in the MDB and focused on seeking and administering federal grants that would provide resources to the farmers, ranchers, producers and organizations that represent Hawai`i agriculture.  She is a graduate of the University of Hawai`i with a BA in Zoology and has 27 years of sales and marketing experience in the airline industry with Delta Air Lines and All Nippon Airlines. Hurd has been married to husband, George, for 45+ years and they have two adult children.

Congratulations, Chair Hurd!