Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation.

Born on 23 December 1960 in Viselki, Krasnodarsky Kray

 1978: after graduating, he attended the Krasnodar Polytechnic Institute
1983: specialising in mechanical engineering, he started work at the Viselkovsky interfarm combined feed plant as a heating engineer and later, a main mechanic
1986: First Secretary of Viselkovsky regional Komsomol department
1990: Director of combined feed plant
1993: initiated the plant's reorganisation into Agrocomplex and became CEO of this new company
1994: started his political career when he was elected Deputy of Krasnodarsky Kray Parliament
1995-1999: elected Deputy of Tihoretsky Regional Parliament, where he was Chairman of the Committee for Nationalities of the State Duma. He was elected Deputy Chairman of the Agricultural and Industry Group in the State Duma and became Head of the Kubansky Agricultural Union
February 2000: completed his dissertation in economics
December 2000: elected Governor of Krasnodar Kray
14 March 2004: re-elected Governor of Krasnodar Kray
17 December 2004: completed his doctoral dissertation in economics
23 April 2007: conferred powers of the Governor of Krasnodar Kray for five more years by the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin

22 April 2015: appointed Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin

Awards and honours:
1997: "850 years to Moscow"
2000: Certificate of Honour of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
2002: medal "For service to the All-Russian population census"
2002: holder of the award of Peter the Great "For the development and consolidation of Russian State"
2002: holder of national award "For achievements in the sphere of social and economic and cultural building"
2002: holder of the award of Peter the Great "National pride of Russia"
2002-2003: holder of main Russian award "Russian National Olympus" in the nomination "Man of a state of 2002-2003"
2003: awarded the "Honorary builder of Russia"
2003: holder of the award "National pride of Russia" in the nomination "For outstanding contribution to the region image"
2003: holder of the international award "Leaders of tourism" in the nomination "Person of the year"
2004: "Person of the year"; for personal contribution to the development of the political system he was decorated with the Order "Glory of Russia"
Awarded the Order of Russian Orthodox Church "St Serguis of Radonezh" 2nd class (2005) and 1st class (2014)Awarded the "Order of Service to the Fatherland" 4th class (2005), "Order of Service to the Fatherland" 3rd class (2011) and "Order of Service to the Fatherland" 2nd class (2014)