New York State Ag Commissioner has a New Job

ALBANY (AP) - New York state Agriculture Commissioner Darrel Aubertine is resigning.

The northern New York farmer and former state legislator served three years in the Cuomo administration, drawing a salary of about $106,000.

Republican Patty Ritchie beat Aubertine in 2010 with 52 percent of the vote in the state Senate district that included Oswego, Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties.

Aubertine's loss was a blow to Democrats trying to gain the Senate majority. The majority is now run by Republicans with four Democrats in the Independent Democratic Conference, with traditional Democrats in the minority.