Harsdorf was born in Stillwater, Minnesota, in 1956 and her family moved to River Falls, Wisconsin, in 1970. Harsdorf graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1978 with a B.S. in Animal Science, and returned to River Falls to become a loan officer for the Production Credit Association while farming part-time on the Harsdorf family dairy farm. Two years later, she and her older brother, Jim, became partners in the family business. While farming full-time, Harsdorf was a member of the Pierce CountyFarm BureauBoard of Directors from 1982 to 1988, serving as treasurer for three years. She also served as chair of the Pierce County Dairy Promotion Committee in 1986. She was a member of the Board of Directors of the Pierce-Pepin Holstein Breeders Association, was a graduate of the Wisconsin Rural Leadership Program, and was involved in Pierce County 4-H as a member of the Dairy Committee and a coach of the Dairy Judging Team.
In 1988, Harsdorf ran for and won the seat of the 30th Assembly District in the Wisconsin State Assembly. She won a total of five consecutive elections, finishing her last term in 1999. During Harsdorf’s time in the State Assembly, she served on the Assembly committees on Natural Resources, on Veterans and Military Affairs, and on Agriculture, and was the ranking Republican on the Colleges and Universities Committee. She also served on the Legislative Advisory Committee on the Minnesota-Wisconsin Boundary Area Commission and on the Legislative CouncilSpecial Committee on Land Use. In 1995, she was appointed to the prestigious Joint Finance Committee, a 16-member committee responsible for drafting the state’s biennial budget.
State Senate
In 2000, Harsdorf entered the 10th State Senate District race against Democratic Senator Alice Clausing, a two-term incumbent. The 10th Senate District comprises all of St. Croix County and portions of Burnett, Dunn, Pierce and Polk counties in the northwestern part of the state. She defeated Clausing and independent candidate Jim Nelson in the general election. She was re-elected in 2004, defeating challenger Gary Bakke, and 2008, defeating challenger Alison Page. Harsdorf served as chair of the Senate Committee on State and Federal Relations and Information Technology and vice chair of the Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, and Higher Education. She also served as co-chair of the Joint Committee on Information Policy and Technology, and as a member of the Joint Committee on Finance. She previously served as chair of the Higher Education and Tourism Committee, as the ranking Republican on the Agriculture and Higher Education Committee, and as a member of the Commerce, Utilities, Energy and Rail Committee and the Joint Legislative Council. She was also a member of the Mississippi River Parkway Commission.
Recall effort
Harsdorf was subject to a recall effort as part of the 2011 Wisconsin protests. Recall organizers filed an estimated 23,000 signatures with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, which verified the petitions and overruled challenges by Harsdorf. The recall election was set for August 9, 2011. Teacher and educators' union official Shelly Moore ran against Harsdorf in the recall election. Harsdorf defeated Moore, 58 percent to 42 percent in the recall election.
Cabinet appointment
In November 2017, Harsdorf was appointed Wisconsin Secretary of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection by Governor Scott Walker. Her brother, Jim, had previously served in the same role under Governor Scott McCallum from 2001 to 2003. Harsdorf is the first woman to head DATCP in the department’s 88-year history.
Personal life
In her hometown of River Falls, Harsdorf is a member of Luther Memorial Church. Harsdorf is a past member of the Kinnickinnic River Land Trust Board and the Wisconsin Conservation Corps Board. She is also a former president of the Wisconsin FFA Foundation Sponsor’s Board.
