North Dakota Lawmaker Resigns to Take Federal USDA Post

State Rep. Jared Hagert, R-Emerado, will leave the legislature to join the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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State Rep. Jared Hagert, R-Emerado, has resigned from the North Dakota Legislature to take a position within the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency in Washington, D.C. Hagert, a farmer and owner of Integrated Ag Services, was elected to the state House in 2020 and has served as vice chair of the Legislature's Finance and Taxation Committee since 2023.

Why it matters

Hagert's move to the federal government will give the USDA a voice from the Upper Midwest and someone with direct experience as a farmer. His departure also creates a vacancy in the North Dakota Legislature that will need to be filled through a special election process.

The details

Hagert said the USDA post is a "great opportunity to serve the farm community and give another voice that has been there, on the farm, and in the Upper Midwest and bring that perspective to the USDA." During his time in the state legislature, Hagert co-sponsored legislation establishing and expanding a property tax credit for homeowners, and he was the chief sponsor of a bill allowing the North Dakota Department of Agriculture to issue grants for value-added agriculture facilities.

  • Hagert resigned from the North Dakota Legislature on Monday, February 10, 2026.
  • Hagert's term was set to expire in 2028.

The players

Jared Hagert

A Republican state representative from Emerado, North Dakota, who has resigned his seat to take a position with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency in Washington, D.C.

Randy Lemm

A Republican state senator from Hillsboro, North Dakota, who said Hagert was "our go-to guy for tax policy" and will be an important voice for the state's farmers in Washington, D.C.

Erika White

The election director for North Dakota, who said Hagert's District 20 legislative seat will be on the November ballot to determine who serves the remainder of the term.

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What they’re saying

“It's a great opportunity to serve the farm community and give another voice that has been there, on the farm, and in the Upper Midwest and bring that perspective to the USDA.”

— Jared Hagert (North Dakota Monitor)

“I hate to see him go, but you don't get an opportunity like this very often.”

— Randy Lemm, State Senator (North Dakota Monitor)

What’s next

The District 20 legislative seat will be on the November ballot to determine who serves the remainder of Hagert's term. The North Dakota Republican Party's District 20 committee has 21 days to appoint someone to fill Hagert's seat through November.

The takeaway

Hagert's move to the federal government will give the USDA a valuable perspective from the Upper Midwest, but it also creates a vacancy in the North Dakota Legislature that will need to be filled through a special election process. His departure is a loss for the state, but an opportunity for him to serve the farm community on a national level.