Director and Deputy Director

 Don R. "Bud" Hover, Director

Donald R. "Bud" Hover was appointed director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture by Gov. Jay Inslee effective April 1, 2013. Bud and his wife, Tonya, have two children and three grandchildren. Bud was raised in Issaquah, graduated from Washington State University and later played middle linebacker for the Washington Redskins for two years.

As WSDA director, Bud oversees an agency responsible for animal health, plant inspections, food safety, fruit and grain inspection and certification, weights and measures, pesticide registration and marketing the state's agricultural products regionally and globally.

He has been co-owner and manager of the Sunny M Ranch in Winthrop since 1980. Bud served two terms as Okanogan County Commissioner, until January 2013.

He has served on several boards, including the Washington State Salmon Recovery Funding Board, the Wenatchee-Okanogan National Forest Provincial Advisory Committee, the Western Governors Wildlife Council and the Okanogan County Public Health Board of Directors.

Bud has two Bachelors of Science degrees in Agriculture Education/Forest and Range Management from Washington State University and a Masters degree in Public Administration from The Evans School of Public Affairs, University of Washington.

 Jeff Canaan, Deputy Director

Jeff Canaan was appointed Deputy Director on December 1, 2010.

Jeff began his WSDA career in 2004 as an Agricultural Chemical Specialist with the Dairy Nutrient Management Program. Jeff held various positions within WSDA. In 2009, he was appointed as the lead Policy Assistant to the Director and also served as the legislative lead for the agency.

As Deputy Director, Jeff oversees WSDA's six divisions, which carry out activities related to:

• Agricultural Commodity Inspection
• Pesticide, Animal Feed and Fertilizers
• Food Safety and Consumer Services
• Protection against Plant Pests and Diseases
• Animal Health and other Livestock Services
• Agency Administration
• Strategy and Governance

Jeff is responsible for ensuring WSDA programs work together to enhance the position of agriculture in Washington. He is the agency's chief operating officer and also leads WSDA's initiative on Government Management Accountability and Performance (GMAP).

After receiving Bachelor of Science degrees in Mathematics & Computer Science from Western Washington University, Jeff went to work for Boeing. Six years later, he earned a masters degree in Theology before teaching at a private high school in Yakima.

Agriculture has long been a calling for Jeff. Prior to working for WSDA, Jeff and his wife Kenna owned and managed a small farm in Lynden, Washington. Jeff and Kenna have two children.