Mr Gove, who famously commented during the EU Referendum that 'people in this country have had enough of experts', was sacked from his previous Cabinet post, as Justice Secretary, when Theresa May first took office.
He is joined at Defra by George Eustice MP, reappointed as Minister of State, and Lord Gardiner of Kimble and Therese Coffey as Parliamentary Under-Secretaries. The Defra Permanent Secretary is Claire Moriarty.
Mr Gove's appointment was greeted with shock by many food and environmental campaigners. Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas described him as
'uniquely unqualified for the post'. Read the
blog by Vicki Hird, Sustain's farming Campaign Coordinator on the challenges facing Mr Gove in his new post.
The Sustain is campaigning to build a greener, fairer and healthier food system after Brexit -- find out more and join us
here.