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After four years serving in an acting position, Ken Griffin was appointed agricultural commissioner on Jan. 13 by the San Benito County Board of Supervisors.
Griffin, who has spent 15 years working in the local agricultural sector, will continue to oversee the promotion of the county’s ag industry. He will also continue to be in charge of protecting agricultural resources and ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations.
As ag commissioner, Griffin serves as the county’s sealer of weights and measures, which protects consumers and businesses by regulating scales and other measuring devices used in commerce.
“I’ve developed the philosophy of assisting farmers and ranchers through oversight processes that promote a robust agricultural economy,” Griffin said in a statement. “The Department of Agriculture will continue to protect and promote Agriculture and Weights and Measures through fair and consistent management, emphasizing protection of the environment, wildlife, and the public health and safety.”
The position has been vacant since 2021 during which time Griffin filled in as the acting ag commissioner.
Griffin’s tenure as acting ag commissioner was not without controversy.
In February 2025, county officials initiated a third-party investigation into Griffin for allegedly influencing the allocation of grants and equipment to a farmer with whom he allegedly had a relationship. The allegations were made in an anonymous email also sent to BenitoLink. The county has not disclosed the outcome of that investigation.
BenitoLink asked County Executive Officer Esperanza Colio Warren for comment regarding the investigation. She said the county doesn’t have “additional information or comments regarding Mr. Griffin’s appointment.”
In addition, Griffin, along with two other Ag Department employees, was named in a lawsuit against the county by a former local hemp farmer who alleged denial of due process and racial discrimination involving the processing of a hemp growing registration application.
The county has denied all the allegations.
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