Norman Jay Coleman (right) became America’s first agriculture secretary on Feb. 15, 1889, a position he would hold for 18 days until March 6, 1889. He left the department to return to St. Louis, Mo. to work as a newspaper editor.
In Canada, Jean-Charles Chapais (left), a French senator, became the country’s first ag minister on July 1, 1867. He remained in that position until Nov. 15, 1869 when he became the Receiver General for Canada.
Chapais left politics in 1873 to spend more time with his family.