Is Katie Smith a Farmer?

I was struck by the Governor's choice of words in appointing Katie Smith as the first female Department of Agriculture.

“Katie Smith was raised in the heart of Missouri agriculture and has spent her career working to promote our state’s rich agriculture heritage,” Blunt said at a news conference to announce the appointment.

Charlie "Hey, what happened to Fred" Kruse used similar phrasing: “Katie Smith comes from a farm background and has considerable experience in developing and implementing agricultural policy,” said the statement of Charles Kruse, president of the Missouri Farm Bureau.

Notice no one said she's a farmer. I believe this will be the first time in history Missouri has a director of agriculture who was not engaged in some sort of farming operation immediately prior to being appoitned.

Perhaps that's because Missouri statute 261.010 requires the director of that department to "be a practical farmer, well versed in agricultural science."

I guess previous Governor's have interpreted that law to mean BE a farmer, rather than HAVE BEEN on a farm as a child. We'll see if the Senate takes their advice and consent role seriously on this one.