Lawmakers Asking Questions About Absence of State Agriculture Director

Some members of the State House and Senate Agriculture Committees are wondering what happened to prompt the Governor to place State Agriculture Director Fred Ferrell on administrative leave for the past two weeks. Ferrell’s lawyer will only say it’s a “personnel matter.” Democrat Representative Wes Shoemyer of Clarence, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, says people in his district have been asking, “why?” Shoemyer says members of the legislative Agriculture Committees should have been briefed ahead of time and told what the contingency plan is. But Republican Senator Jon Cauthorn of Mexico, member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, says he’s not hearing from a lot from constituents on this one. Both men hope the issue with Ferrell is resolved quickly and fairly … whatever that issue might be.