Sheila Harsdorf
Harsdorf in 2008
11th Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
In office November 13, 2017 – January 7, 2019
Governor	Scott Walker
Preceded by	Ben Brancel
Succeeded by	Brad Pfaff
Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 10th district
In office January 8, 2001 – November 10, 2017
Preceded by	Alice Clausing
Succeeded by	Patty Schachtner
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 30th district
In office January 3, 1989 – January 4, 1999
Preceded by	William Berndt
Succeeded by	Kitty Rhoades
Personal details
Born	(1956-07-25) July 25, 1956 (age 67) Stillwater, Minnesota
Political party	Republican
Children	1
Relatives	James Harsdorf (brother)
Residence	River Falls, Wisconsin
Alma mater	University of Minnesota
Occupation	Dairy farmer, legislator

Sheila E. Harsdorf (born July 25, 1956) is an American dairy farmer and Republican politician from Pierce County, Wisconsin. She served as the 11th secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, during the administration of Governor Scott Walker. She previously served ten years in the Wisconsin State Assembly and 17 years in the State Senate. Her brother, James Harsdorf, also served in the state Legislature, and was also secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

Early life, education and career

Harsdorf was born in Stillwater, Minnesota, in 1956 and her family moved to River Falls, Wisconsin, in 1970. Harsdorf graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1978 with a B.S. in Animal Science, and returned to River Falls to become a loan officer for the Production Credit Association while farming part-time on the Harsdorf family dairy farm. Two years later, she and her older brother, Jim, became partners in the family business.

While farming full-time, Harsdorf was a member of the Pierce County Farm Bureau Board of Directors from 1982 to 1988, serving as treasurer for three years. She also served as chair of the Pierce County Dairy Promotion Committee in 1986. She was a member of the Board of Directors of the Pierce-Pepin Holstein Breeders Association, was a graduate of the Wisconsin Rural Leadership Program, and was involved in Pierce County 4-H as a member of the Dairy Committee and a coach of the Dairy Judging Team.

Wisconsin legislature

State Assembly

In 1988, Harsdorf ran for and won the seat of the 30th Assembly District in the Wisconsin State Assembly. She won a total of five consecutive elections, finishing her last term in 1999.

During Harsdorf’s time in the State Assembly, she served on the Assembly committees on Natural Resources, on Veterans and Military Affairs, and on Agriculture, and was the ranking Republican on the Colleges and Universities Committee. She also served on the Legislative Advisory Committee on the Minnesota-Wisconsin Boundary Area Commission and on the Legislative Council Special Committee on Land Use. In 1995, she was appointed to the prestigious Joint Finance Committee, a 16-member committee responsible for drafting the state’s biennial budget.^[1][2]

State Senate

In 2000, Harsdorf entered the 10th State Senate District race against Democratic Senator Alice Clausing, a two-term incumbent. The 10th Senate District comprises all of St. Croix County and portions of Burnett, Dunn, Pierce and Polk counties in the northwestern part of the state.^[3] She defeated Clausing and independent candidate Jim Nelson in the general election. She was re-elected in 2004, defeating challenger Gary Bakke, and 2008, defeating challenger Alison Page.^[4]

Harsdorf served as chair of the Senate Committee on State and Federal Relations and Information Technology and vice chair of the Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, and Higher Education. She also served as co-chair of the Joint Committee on Information Policy and Technology, and as a member of the Joint Committee on Finance. She previously served as chair of the Higher Education and Tourism Committee, as the ranking Republican on the Agriculture and Higher Education Committee, and as a member of the Commerce, Utilities, Energy and Rail Committee and the Joint Legislative Council. She was also a member of the Mississippi River Parkway Commission.^[1][5]

Recall effort

Harsdorf was subject to a recall effort as part of the 2011 Wisconsin protests. Recall organizers filed an estimated 23,000 signatures with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board,^[6] which verified the petitions and overruled challenges by Harsdorf. The recall election was set for August 9, 2011.^[7] Teacher and educators' union official Shelly Moore ran against Harsdorf in the recall election.^[8] Harsdorf defeated Moore, 58 percent to 42 percent in the recall election.^[9]

Cabinet appointment

In November 2017, Harsdorf was appointed Wisconsin Secretary of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection by Governor Scott Walker.^[10] Her brother, Jim, had previously served in the same role under Governor Scott McCallum from 2001 to 2003. Harsdorf is the first woman to head DATCP in the department’s 88-year history.^[11]

Personal life

In her hometown of River Falls, Harsdorf is a member of Luther Memorial Church. Harsdorf is a past member of the Kinnickinnic River Land Trust Board and the Wisconsin Conservation Corps Board. She is also a former president of the Wisconsin FFA Foundation Sponsor’s Board.^[1][2]

Electoral history

Source: Wisconsin Bluebook